IN an atmosphere halfway between a carnival and the first day of the January sales, Swindon greeted its biggest ever supermarket. Bands played, street entertainers performed, and thousands crossed the threshold of the 150,000 square foot Asda Wal-Mart in Haydon Wick.

There they had the run of 50,000 different product lines worth a total of £4 million.

By yesterday's official opening time of 10am, more than 300 shoppers were queuing patiently outside with their trolleys.

The ceremonial green ribbon was cut by Swindon mayor David Cox, who hailed the new store as a major leap forward for the Haydon Wick and Abbey Meads areas.

He said: "This place is a foundation for a growing community that is part of the borough of Swindon.

"I'm impressed by the fantastic amount of work that has gone in here, and particularly impressed by the facilities for disabled shoppers.

"For example, I understand that people are employed who are able to sign for the deaf and hard of hearing, and I think that's tremendous.

"Asda Wal-Mart has really thought about this from day one, and now we are seeing the fruition of it."

The new branch is the biggest in the Asda chain and the 250th it has opened.

Like other Asda Wal-Marts, it stocks everything from groceries and clothing to bicycles and exotic cheeses.

Asda has made provision for a youth club, library and health centre, as well as a police station and an ambulance station.

If shoppers need a break from scanning the miles of shelves, there is a caf and, outside, an ornamental fountain which is perhaps the most advanced water feature ever built in Swindon.

The mayor was joined in opening the store by nine-year-old Heidi Hynes and 10-year-old Catriona Murray.

Heidi won a competition to design a Christmas card for sale in the store, while Catriona is a pupil of Swindon's Brimble Hill School, which caters for children with special educational needs.

With the ribbon cut at the end of a 10-second countdown, it was time to welcome the first shoppers inside.

That task was handled by the store's greeters, employed simply to make people feel welcome and give them any help they need.

First in the queue were Jean Paterson, 62, from Covingham, daughter Serena Waite, 30, from Pinehurst, and granddaughters Lucy, two, and six-month-old Sophie. Jean said: "We feel a bit silly being first in the queue, but we're looking forward to going in there.

"We usually shop at Asda in West Swindon but we'll be doing it here today."

The new store's 600-plus workers are led by store manager Mark Pollard, who at 34 has 16 years' experience in the retail trade and has managed four Asda stores up and down the country.

He said: "As we have said before, this is the champions' league of retail. Our colleagues have worked very hard to get the store ready for opening, and are looking forward to showing customers around.

"We have plenty to offer, and I'm confident shoppers will be impressed by what they see."

One of the more unusual guests at the opening was a pensioner with what is perhaps Britain's most unusual hobby.

Retired drawing office and printing equipment salesman Richard Bunn, 77, has spent the last decade visiting as many Asda branches as possible nationwide.

Including yesterday's visit, he has so far been into 246 branches, from Falmouth on the South Coast to Elgin in Northern Scotland and has saved the receipts to prove it.

Not counting branches that closed or relocated before he got to them, his only unvisited Asda is one in Glasgow.

Mr Bunn, of Weston-super-Mare, said: "When I retired, I had to think of a hobby which would fill in the void left by travelling around the country for my job.

"I think my hobby is unique there's nobody as mad as me yet!"