Chicken-lovers desperate to try out Bishop Auckland’s new Popeyes queued overnight for their fried-chicken fix.

The Louisiana-founded brand opened at the new Fieldon Bridge retail park at 11am this morning (Wednesday, March 13).

But fans queued from the early hours with two local lads even turning up at 10pm the night before to bag a spot at the front of the queue.

Filip Firmanty, 18, from Crook was the first in the queue arriving on Tuesday night.

The Northern Echo: Filip Firmanty (left).Filip Firmanty (left). (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

He said: “We just thought it would be a fun thing to do and we didn’t really have anything much better to do.

“We got here just after 10pm and the security guard came over asking what we were doing.

“He was sound and we explained why we were there and he said he admired our commitment.”

As one of the first in the queue he and pal Michael Biggins, also 18, landed a years’ free supply of chicken sandwiches.

The Northern Echo: Staff at the Bishop Auckland venue prepare to welcome customers.Staff at the Bishop Auckland venue prepare to welcome customers. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

“I’m definitely going to be getting my money’s worth!”, Filip added.

Also braving the dark for a chicken sandwich were Andrew Brown from Bishop Auckland who arrived at 5.20am, and Ged McGuire who stayed in the warmth of his car in the drive-thru queue from 6am.

The Northern Echo: Ged McGuire who queued at Popeys in Bishop Auckland this morning at 6am.Ged McGuire who queued at Popeys in Bishop Auckland this morning at 6am. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

The new restaurant is the first unit to open at the new retail park.

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