Bargain hunters packed Woolworths stores on Thursday morning as the company’s closing down sale kicked off.

Woolworths, a British high street institution for nearly a century, has so far failed to find a buyer since being placed into administration at the end of November.

As many as 123 jobs are at risk if the stores in Canterbury, Herne Bay, Whitstable and Faversham close.

Geoff Adams, 48, from Faversham, was among those who joined queues 20 deep at the town’s branch.

“I’ve queued up for around 20 minutes just to grab one item,” he said. “It’s madness, but a lot of people are in there doing the same thing.”

Popular purchases among customers appeared to range from a bucket of pick 'n’ mix sweets to Christmas wrapping paper and cards.

Shoppers campaigning to save the Faversham branch have begun collecting signatures and will be outside the store from 9.30am on Saturday.