The Bullring shopping centre in Birmingham saw queues stretch back as far as the bull statue as hordes of excited Apple fans greeted the launch of the new iPhone4.

Enthusiasts queued for hours as they sought to be among the first in the country to own the new model.

And while the Apple store in London's Oxford Street saw 600 people queuing before doors opened, the Bullring store reported 1,100 shoppers in line before the iPhone went on sale.

The Birmingham store recently saw similar scenes when the iPad was launched.

The new iPhone boasts a front-facing video chat camera and a much larger camera lens than its predecessor, the iPhone 3GS. It also has a larger battery, a camera flash and a higher screen resolution.

Prices at Apple stores start at about £500 for the 16GB handset and about £600 for the 32GB model.

Some phone networks are offering the phones for free but only on extended contracts with substantial monthly payments.