VISITORS to Blackburn’s new Primark store yesterday bought 50 per cent more than the chain store’s average shopper, bosses confirmed.

The cut-price clothing shop was the centre of frenetic activity on what was described as a ‘great day’ for the town centre in July 2010, when the store opened.

Queues had started forming two hours before Strictly Come Dancing star Ricky Whittle was greeted with screams from hundreds of young fans for the official opening.

Also opening was Costa Coffee, another first for Blackburn, and a larger WH Smith store.

But it seemed every shopper inside the Mall was carrying a Primark bag – and bosses reported trading well above average on its opening day.

Despite holding the opening on a Monday, a traditionally quiet day, Primark director Breege O’Donoghue said it had been ‘very, very busy’.