SHOPPERS in Oxford were quick off the starting blocks to make the most of extra shopping hours celebrating the Olympics.

Sunday trading laws have been relaxed to allow shops larger than 280 square metres (3,015 sq feet) to open for more than six hours.

The new rules came into force this Sunday and run until Sunday, September 9.

Marks & Spencer, Debenhams and HMV are among those taking advantage of the relaxed laws.

Debenhams, usually open 11am to 5pm on a Sunday, opened for an hour-and-a-half longer, from 10.30am to 6pm, for the first time this weekend. Store manager Paul Rayner said: “Trade was really encouraging. People were still in the store making use of the additional hours.”

Two new early park-and-ride buses have been put on from Peartree – at 7.30am and 8am – for the next seven Sundays. Phil Southall, operations director of Oxford Bus Company , said: “We are aware that people’s leisure and travel patterns will change over the next few weeks.

“In addition there will be many visitors in the area and we want to make sure we have taken steps to ensure as many as possible can travel around the city with ease.”

Boswells department store in Cornmarket Street will try out longer hours from next weekend.

Managing director Jon-athan Pearson said: “We have been umming and ah-ing about it. It’s nice to open for longer but you have to pay the staff. We didn’t do it this Sunday because we didn’t think we were close enough to the Olympics, but next Sunday feels right. We’re intending to open from 10.30am to 6pm, and we’ll monitor it.”

HMV is opening from 9am to 6pm for the first two Sundays of the Olympics, and 10am to 6pm until September 9.

Marks & Spencer, which usually opens from 11am until 5pm, will open for three hours longer, from 9am to 6pm.

Shops less than 280 sq m are not subject to any Sunday opening restrictions.

l Details of public transport changes affecting Oxfordshire during the Olympics will appear in tomorrow’s Oxford Mail. Reporter Ed Mezzetti and picture editor Jessica Mann will be covering the Olympics in London, so follow their reports in the Oxford Mail and live coverage on oxfordmail.co.uk and via twitter @theoxfordmail