DIYWEEK.net

Reality TV star Louie Spence marked the launch of Christmas ranges at B&Q's Wandsworth store, as the retailer predicts its best sellers.

Celebrity choreographer Mr Spence pirouetted into the Wandsworth branch and posed for photos as he topped off the store's 12ft Christmas tree.

Hoping to bring a bit of Christmas cheer after the doom and gloom of the past year, B&Q enlisted the flamboyant Mr Spence to mark the launch of the Christmas department last week.

The retailer also predicted its Christmas best-sellers, including the 12ft Nordic pine tree at £250, LED battery-operated tinsel, a 6ft pre-decorated pop-up tree and traditional Scandinavian -style decorations.

Meanwhile, a recent poll of 8,585 consumers revealed that 39% planned to start their Christmas shopping before Halloween. Department store chain John Lewis also revealed that its latest sales figures for the week ended October 22, had been boosted by organised shoppers starting their festive buying early. The retailer's sales figures were up 4%, with all three buying categories; home, fashion and electrical and home technology, ahead of last year. According to the report, home saw its second-best increase of the half, with home accessories and gifts and cooking and dining producing the stand-out results of the week.