Build-A-Bear offers customers free voucher after ‘pay your age’ chaos – here’s how to get yours
Scores of families across the UK lined up to get their hands on the popular kids toy that usually costs up to £50 earlier today
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BUILD-A-Bear has offered customers a free voucher after bargain hunters queued for up to nine hours to cash-in on "Pay Your Age Day".
Scores of families across the UK lined up to get their hands on the popular kids toy that usually costs up to £50.
But it turns out that the promotion is actually still available.
All you have to do to avoid the crowds is sign up to Build-a-Bear's Bonus Club scheme before midnight on July 18.
These vouchers will then be honoured up until the end of August.
In a post on their Facebook page, the company wrote: "Keep in mind, our new Count Your Candles program is available to Bonus Club members all year long and allows children under 14 to pay their age for our special Birthday Treat Bear during the month of their birthday."
Unlike traditional toy stores, the Build-A-Bear branches are more like workshops where shoppers can make the stuffed toy themselves.
Families outside a store in Meadowhall, Sheffield, were reportedly told there was a nine-hour wait and shoppers told of fights outside a store in Newcastle.
And there were also six-hour delays in Chester, Cheshire and long lines outside branches in Colchester, Essex, Bluewater, Kent and Cardiff.
Stores in Meadowhill, Telford and Basingstoke were forced to shut early, while others hoping join the queues were turned away.
Fiona O'Reilly 31, from Gateshead, arrived at Newcastle's Metro Centre at at 8.15am yesterday in order to purchase bears for each of her four children.
She was shocked by the hundreds of parents already queuing before the shop opened at 10am and feared there could be fights as parents argued in the queues.
She said: "It was complete madness. I wouldn't be surprised if there were a few riots over this today.
"I managed to get there early and it took just over an hour for me to get all four bears.
"There's already people fighting in the queues!"
One parent posted on Facebook: "Build-A-Bear queue is insane at Meadowhall.
"They've capped it at a predicted 9 hour wait. (just before me).
"Handing out £12 off vouchers instead."
"My bill should have been £150 but I only paid £27. I bought them for all the kids. They absolutely loved it."
Beth Kerley from Build a Bear told The Sun: "The response to our Pay Your Age Day event at all of our U.K. locations has been overwhelming and unprecedented in our 21-year history, and the safety of our guests and associates is our top priority.
"The crowds have greatly exceeded our expectations and, per local authorities, queues are at capacity and we cannot accept additional guests due to extreme crowds and safety concerns.
"We understand our guests are disappointed, and we are working to address the situation. We will reach out directly to our valued guests as soon as possible."
My Little Pony, Super Mario and Pokemon are among the characters in the deal.
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