Swedish retailer Clas Ohlson opened its sixth and seventh stores last week, in Liverpool and Leeds.

The Liverpool store opened on April 29 in the Clayton Square shopping centre, with more than 500 people queuing to get in. The same numbers turned up to the opening of the Leeds outlet, at the junction of the Headrow and Briggate, on April 30.

Doors opened at both stores at 10am and the first 500 shoppers were able to pick up a portable DVD player, normally priced at £79.99, for just £19.99. The openings also featured a traditional Swedish folk band and a Swedish ribbon cutting ceremony.

On Saturday May 1 both stores had visits from celebrity guests with TV's 60 Second Makeover builder Craig Phillips doing power tool demonstrations in Liverpool and TV soap Coronation Street's Katherine Kelly signing autographs in Leeds.

The UK is the first country outside the Nordic territories to have Clas Ohlson stores, which stock homewares, electrical, DIY, multimedia and leisure. The first UK store was opened in Croydon in 2008.