HEAVY downpours across Bolton have sparked a surge in the sale of winter clothes and coats.

After a mild weekend the town was drenched by downpours yesterday. And the wet weather is set to continue for the next week.

Shops have had their autumn/winter ranges in stock for several weeks and say sales have been going well.

Geoff Lancaster, a spokesman for Primark which has store in Crompton Place, said: “There has been a shift in the seasons and we got our autumn winter ranges in early because of the wet summer.

“The winter coats were going out as soon as they were coming in and are still selling well.”

A spokesman for Asda, which has stores in Astley Bridge and Burnden, said: “As it is now October the weather is getting worse as people would expect.

“The autumn winter range has been in the stores for a while and has been very popular.”

But one trader at Ashburner Street market, who asked not to be named, had a slow day yesterday.

He said: “I have only sold about half a dozen umbrellas. In other towns on a day like to that I would expect to sell about 40 or 50. It seems that people in Bolton would rather get wet.”

Graham Fullarton, a qualified meteorologist and information manager at the Royal Bolton Hospital, said: “It looks like this unsettled weather is here to stay for the next week.

“Saturday is probably going to be the best day.

“Unfortunately the bit of sunny weather has come to an abrupt halt and we are seeing one extreme to the other.”

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