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Woolworth stores across the county have been inundated with shoppers eager to take advantage of the legendary chain's closing down sale.

The retail beacon is on the brink of final collapse and 30,000 employees, hundreds of them in Kent, are braced to start 2009 on the dole after attempts to find a buyer for the 815-store chain appeared to fail.

~ Related story: Closing down sale signals the end for Woolies >>>

The first store was opened in Liverpool in 1909 and it operates at least 10 shops in Kent and Medway, including Chatham, Gillingham, Herne Bay, Faversham, Tenterden, Canterbury, Whitstable, Gillingham, Maidstone and Sittingbourne.

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Medway has the largest concentration of Woolworths stores in Kent with branches in Twydall, Gillingham, Chatham and Strood.

Many shoppers outside the Chatham shop on Thursday said they were sad to see its demise.

Pauline Stewart, 50, from Rainham, said: "It's really sad to see the store closing down. I grew up with Woolworths."

~ Read more at medwaymessenger.co.uk >>>

The Ashford store postponed opening until 9.15am on Thursday while shop workers prepared for the rush.

About 50 people were queuing outside Woolworths in Hythe waiting for the doors to open at 9am and the store was packed by 10.30am.

~ Audio: shoppers queuing outside the Ashford store spoke to kmfm's Sarah Marshall >>>

~ Read more at kentishexpress.co.uk >>>

Queues were 20-deep at the Faversham branch.

Town resident Geoff Adams, 48, said: "I’ve queued up for around 20 minutes just to grab one item."

~ Read more at kentishgazette.co.uk >>>

On the Isle of Sheppey, around 150 people had lined up outside Sheerness's store by 9am.

Jim Stack, 60, from the town, was in the queue and described the news as "very sad".

~ Read more at timesguardian.co.uk >>>

Most people going into Woolworths in Maidstone's Week Street were coming straight out again empty-handed, dismayed at the length of the queues.

Upwards of 80 people were queuing at each of the pay-points, with the line stretching from one end of the store to the other.

Administrators had hoped to keep the stores open until well into the New Year - but with stock reducing fast, there will be little to sell and the shutters could well come down on many outlets by Christmas.