MUSIC enthusiasts queued at a Clacton record shop from 4am in order to get their hands on a host of rare vinyl records. 

Music Mania, in the town's High Street, celebrated the annual Record Store Day on Saturday, much to the delight of hundreds of customers. 

Record Store Day started in 2007 after record shop owners came together in the US to celebrate and spread the word about the unique culture of indie record stores.

It is celebrated by thousands of record shops all over the globe.

Clacton and Frinton Gazette: Queue - the huge line of people waiting to celebrate Record Store DayQueue - the huge line of people waiting to celebrate Record Store Day (Image: Chris Thompson)

Malcolm Stone, the owner of Music Mania, said: "It was a brilliant day, I can't fault it - we had people starting the queue from 4am.

"At opening time we had about 40 to 50 people and the queue stretched all the way up the road.

"It was a busy day all around, probably the busiest we've been.

"It was pretty chilly so fair play to people queueing outside."

Clacton and Frinton Gazette: Owner - Malcolm Stone, the man who runs the shopOwner - Malcolm Stone, the man who runs the shop (Image: Chris Thompson)

Music Mania has been owned by Malcolm Stone for 35 years but began life as a stall at an indoor market.

It moved into its physical and permanent store in Clacton's High Street about 28 years ago. 

Malcolm added: "We were only letting three to five people in at a time to make it easy.

"Some people came down and saw the queue and got something to eat while waiting for the queue to go down but found the queue was even bigger by the time they got back.

"I want to say a big thanks to everyone who came down and braved the cold.

"Hopefully it gets people in more often, it will be nice to see some of their faces again."

Clacton and Frinton Gazette: Taste - a customer with a Black Sabbath record and a Motörhead vinylTaste - a customer with a Black Sabbath record and a Motörhead vinyl (Image: Chris Thompson)

Malcolm added: "I used to collect singles as a youngster and I used to come in here when it was Magic Music, where I bought a lot of singles. 

"Magic Music actually used to be based where we are now before they moved down the road."