Charity shops in Surbiton were doing good business on Monday as shoppers hit the stores.

The British Heart Foundation in Victoria Road proved particularly popular with an orderly socially distanced queue forming outside for most of the day.

Despite some of the charity’s shops in Scotland and all in Northern Ireland remaining closed, BHF, which funds life-saving research into heart and circulatory diseases, recorded a staggering £1 million in sales – with customers keen to refresh their wardrobes and buy new furniture for spring.

The record-breaking day comes as BHF seeks to recover from the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The closure of its shops and cancellation of fundraising events during lockdown has seen its net income cut in half.

Retail director at the British Heart Foundation, Allison Swaine-Hughes said: “We are absolutely thrilled that in our first day of reopening, our shops made an incredible £1 million in sales.

“We want to say a huge thank you to our shops teams, who have worked tirelessly to get back up and running and we are also hugely grateful to local communities who hit the high street to help support us, by shopping and donating – we are so happy to have you back.”

 “We are incredibly touched by the continued loyalty, dedication and support from our staff, volunteers and customers alike. Your ongoing support will enable us to save and improve the lives of the 7.6 million people living with heart and circulatory diseases across the UK.”

In line with government guidelines, shops in England and Wales have reopened with safety measures in place. These include social distancing on the shop floor, screens at till points and hand sanitiser available to customers.

BHF is still keen to receive donations, particularly of summer wear to sell throughout the coming season. You can also post smaller items such as branded clothing, jewellery, vinyl records and cameras, using the charity’s freepost donation service. Visit www.bhf.org.uk/shop