Shock just before Christmas
Marks & Spencer's flagship Marble Arch store in London was forced to close on Monday as a result of a power failure, with just days to go before Christmas.

The store at 458 Oxford Street closed at 12.30 pm as staff prepared for the busy lunchtime rush. A spokeswoman for Marks & Spencer said the store re-opened at 3 o'clock in time for evening shopping. The power cut was caused by a fault at the local electricity sub-station that serves the store.

No other retailers were affected, according to a spokesman for the New West End Company.

Customers had been redirected to the nearest main outlet at the Pantheon store, 173 Oxford Street.