A PAIR of young local heroes signalled the start of a shopping frenzy as a town's new store opened for business for the first time yesterday.

The multi-million pound Asda store in Peterlee, County Durham, was opened by Sarah Dowson and Frances Lee, two youngsters who have overcome debilitating illness and injury.

Store group Asda named them as its Kids Local Heroes and so when it came to opening the 45,000sq ft premises, they were a natural choice.

Sarah, who is overcoming bone cancer, and Frances, badly injured in a road accident 18 months ago, cut a ribbon before the doors were opened at the store, developed on the former magistrates' court and police station site, near the Castle Dene Shopping Centre.

Century Radio's Three Legends, ex-North-East football stars Malcolm McDonald, Eric Gates and Bernie Slaven, then presented each of the youngsters with cheques for £500.

A third local girl, ten-year-old Rachel Cain, of Eden Hall Junior School, won a goody bag and £10 gift voucher for drawing the winning entry in a Design a Store of the Future contest run through local schools.

Asda events' coordinator Helen Pattison said the switch from a smaller store within the shopping centre had proved hectic, but successful.

She said: "It's been all hands on deck, but we've needed everyone to help and we've even had a few in to help from other branches.

"It's been fantastic, everyone seems to want to see what the new store is like."

An estimated 10,000 shoppers passed through the doors in the first few hours of trading