Bargain hunters flocked to Oxford yesterday to take advantage of massive discounts in the Christmas sales. b Some chains, including PC World and Currys, opened on Boxing Day but for many stores, including M&S and Next, their sales started yesterday. The city's main shopping street, Cornmarket, was busy, but it was not packed with shoppers early in the morning, although numbers grew towards lunchtime.

There were no lengthy traffic jams on major routes into Oxford, including Botley Road, and some shoppers said they had enjoyed a pleasant shopping trip because stores were not overcrowded with bargain-hunters.

So far, retailers across the country have had a poor festive season, discounting heavily to tempt customers and according to research organisation Shopper, numbers are 43 per down on last year so far.

But yesterday brought a steady stream of shoppers into Oxford, and retailers are hoping for a busy trading period to end the year on a high, before the January sales.

Bill McCardle, a spokesman for Oxford city centre management company OX1, said: "My own expectation is that there will be no mad dash over the next few days. It will be steady and that has been the trend throughout the past 12 months.

"Shops have had a very busy few days leading up to Christmas and they are expecting a very busy weekend as well, with the sales continuing into next year."

Michelle Fraemohs, 22, a mother-of-two from Bicester, visited Next, New Look, and Ann Summers in Oxford and was delighted with her bargains.

"It was a good shopping experience. It wasn't too crowded and it felt more like a normal shopping day, rather than a big sales day," she said.

Architect Paul Hartle, 35, from Cowley, bought some saucepans in Debenhams and some work clothes in Next. He said: "I reckon I spent about £60 with the goods reduced from about £90, so I am very happy with the discounts."

David Stagg, 63, who is staying with his daughter in Botley, spent £90. He said: "I bought a jumper, some pyjamas and some webcams. There are discounts out there but not for the really good stuff."