Christmas shoppers can look forward to a last minute buying bonanza as shops slash prices following poor festive season trading.

Price cuts of up to 50 per cent on some ranges are being offered as shop managers and owners blame clever customers for waiting until the pre-Christmas sales before stocking up on presents.

At Woolworths, prices have been slashed in half on electrical equipment, including a £1,000 computer down to £499.99, as well as on some ranges of toys.

At H&M, many items will be half price from December 23.

HMV, meanwhile, is offering two-for-one on some top range DVDs.

At Marks & Spencer, women's and children's party wear, lingerie and jewellery have already been cut in price by 20 per cent.

And at Habitat, markdowns across a range of furniture and ornaments have also reached a fifth.

Peter Beard, marketing manager for Churchill Square in Brighton, put the unusual pre-Christmas price cuts down to a "battle of wills" between shoppers and shops.

He said: "Consumers are getting more and more canny, holding out for the retailer to make the first move."

Martin Maybank, the manager of Dixons in Western Road, Brighton, said: "Consumers are waiting because they think sales before Christmas will come along eventually.

"It is a question of who can hold their nerve."

Some shops, including Dixons, Debenhams and Ernest Jones are waiting until Boxing Day to start their sales.

In Churchill Square, 18 shops will open on Boxing Day, up 50 per cent on last year, and the highest number number ever.