Tea towel sales are booming this month as parents use them for headdresses for their kids’ Nativity plays, according to Sainsbury supermarket.

The retailer has had to order extra supplies to fuel this demand during the festive season, which has also seen a rise in early mince pie sales.

In a survey carried out by Sainsbury is was revealed that Consumers in Colchester have bought the most mince pies this season, with 14,000 more sold there in the last month than in any other location.

The supermarket sold 78,804 pies in Colchester during November, which is way ahead of the second in line, Christchurch in Dorset and then Newry in Northern Ireland.

Pre-holiday get-togethers and office parties are considered to have got this market off to a strong start.