STORES across Gwent are expecting large crowds to Black Friday flash sales following shopper “mayhem” last year.

Tesco has said it has considered upping security at its Extra stores and could introduce barriers or queuing systems on Friday morning.

The one-day sales event saw around 1,000 shoppers turn out to Tesco in Spytty at midnight last year with people “fighting over goods” and police officers being called to the scene. 

At this year’s Black Friday flash sale, the supermarket said all Tesco Extra stores will be closing at midnight on Thursday so staff “have enough time to set up for the event”. The stores will reopen at 5am for customers on Friday morning.

A Tesco spokesperson said every store has been “individually assessed” to see whether more security guards, barriers or queuing systems are needed.

Supermarket Asda has already announced it will be opting out of Black Friday because of “shopper fatigue”, while Sainsbury's said it is a “low key event” for them.

A Sainsbury's spokesperson said there will be a select number of products on offer and a modest number of additional deals on smaller, non-food items over the week.

In the newly opened Friars Walk shopping centre, store managers are expecting a big turnout.

Sophie Iles, manager of Mothercare at Friars Walk, said they have already launched their sales.

She said: “It’s going to be crazy. We have got a lot of staff on anyway to deal with it. We have launched the sales today with up to 60 per cent off toys and 20 per cent off full price toys.”

A spokeswoman for Topshop in Friars Walk said she thinks people are waiting for the sales because the store has been quiet so far this week.

She said: “We are expecting lots of queues, we have been equipped with lots of extra staff. 

“We have got two point of sale promotions, one in Topman and one in Topshop which both are starting on Thursday morning.

“There will be large promotions of up to 50 per cent off.”

Argos and Homebase are calling it the "biggest shopping event of the year", with Argos moving hundreds of head office workers onto the shop floor this weekend to deal with demand.

Argos' 12-day Black Friday sale and Homebase's 11-day sale both began last Friday (November 20).