DIE-HARD collectors took Christmas shopping to new levels yesterday as they camped overnight to capture a must-have pair of trainers – which change hands for thousands of pounds on the internet.

Consortium, on Albert Road, is the only shop south of London selling the £79.99 Adidas Ardwick shoes, which is based on the brand’s iconic California product from the 1970s.

With only 500 made worldwide, just 12 are available in Bournemouth and go on sale when the store opens at 9am today.

One pair listed on eBay yesterday had attracted 15 bids, with the highest at £4,100.

The store’s owner, Nat Rendell, said they typically re-sell on the auction site for around £500, but hopes the shoes he sells go to committed Adidas fans and has a strict policy of one pair per customer.

“People started calling us about them weeks ago and we have people coming down from Birmingham, Gloucester and London,” he added.

“We are used to seeing queues for limited edition shoes but the demand for this release took us by surprise.”

Two intrepid Adidas addicts, Anthony Peers and Luke Hayden, who had taken an early morning train from Portsmouth, were already camped outside in preparation for a long and cold wait by 9am yesterday morning.

Anthony, 30, said he has been a collector for five years, adding: “I have already made a space on my shelf for them. I have just got to have them.”

Luke, 18, said: “It’s going to get cold but we have our camping chairs and coats.

“I heard about the queues for these when they went on sale in Manchester and wanted to make sure I got here early and didn’t miss out.”

Despite the tempting sale prices online everyone in the queue on Saturday morning said they intended to either keep the shoes or wear them with no-one interested in selling them on.

Luke Hayden, who was the first to get his pair, said he would be wearing his proudly.

Most of the group said they would wear the trainers, while a couple intended to add them to their 100 plus collection of rare sneakers and display them.

Nat Rendell added: “We quite regularly have highly desirable limited release shoes on sale.

“But this is the first time people have queued overnight for them.

“The phone has been ringing off the hook. But I’m really pleased we have managed to sell them to committed collectors who will know their true value.”

Ben Cain, who had arrived on Friday night from Newbury said the interest from collectors was so high because of the uniqueness of the rare shoe.

“Everyone here is really good-natured and friendly. We know each other from the various forums and respect that.

“There is a phrase ‘Rock them or stock them’; I’m going to rock these.”