DEDICATED followers of fashion - or just one bag short of a collection?

Fans of British fashion label Radley flocked to York yesterday to try and get their hands on the last ten bags available in an exclusive line.

Up to 25 people queued for hours in freezing conditions outside Cox of Yorkshire in Shambles - the only place in the world still selling the brand's first limited edition design.

York teenagers James Macdonald and Leonard Aspinall, both 17, were at the head of the line. They waited from 8pm the previous night to snap up the £125 bags as Christmas presents for their mums.

Their friend, Corin Warlow, 17, joined them so he could buy one to sell. The sought-after accessories are currently attracting bids of more than £330 on internet auction site eBay.

James said: "We had one sleeping bag. It was freezing, but it was worth the wait."

Radley collector Becci Crampton, 22, and her boyfriend Michael Maynard, 21, also endured a long wait. The couple had made the long journey from Kent for the bags, joining the queue at 12.30am.

"I phoned all the department stores in London then I phoned the Radley offices," said Becci, who already has seven Radley bags. "This was the only place that they were left with any."

Jayne Lever, 37, travelled from Manchester with her mother and stayed in a hotel.

They came out to join the queue at 5am.

"I like this bag in particular because it reminds me of the Lake District," she said. "I am going to use it, but rarely."

Matthew Bellwood, 41, of Poppleton, arrived at 7.30am to buy a bag for his wife. "She's a mad collector - she has eight bags," he said.

Shop owner Matthew Johnson, who runs the business with his brother, Phil, said they had been amazed at the response.

"When we got here at 6.30am, we couldn't believe people were queuing up," he said.

"We sell a tremendous amount of Radley - far more of their products than anything else. They are really popular - people like them because they are fun."

The Radley brand, which has a Scottie dog emblem, was created by handbag and luggage company The Tula Group five years ago and it has become one of the country's fastest growing designer products.

Updated: 09:53 Thursday, December 09, 2004