Students flooded Churchill Square shopping centre to take advantage of 20% discounts.

The event, organised by the marketing company Total Students, takes place after normal hours starting at 6.30pm and ending at 10.30pm. It is estimated 8,500 school and university students attend the event.

Jacob Constant, the Marketing Executive of Total Students said: “Last year the event attracted around 7,500 students and River Island made around £13,000 in the first hour.”

Total Students have been running Student Lock-Ins around the country since their first event in Cardiff, 2010. They now organise student Lock-Ins at 22 shopping centres in the UK. Last nights event was the second held in Brighton.

Cassandra Thomas, an 18 year-old university student, said: "It's good fun, if only for the freebies."

Students were treated to free products from partnering companies Vitamin Water, Red Bull and Oddka.