When planning a Bank Holiday weekend, queuing at the supermarket is unlikely to top the to do list.

So for the hundreds who did just that to try and get their hands of Lidl's discounted prosecco, their fury when it sold out in minutes is perhaps understandable.

Saturday morning started in what was described by onlookers as "the most British way ever", with shoppers who had risen early forming orderly queues outside stores across the country waiting to pick up a bargain.

Those at the back of the queue were left disappointed when stocks ran out

But by 8.05 the excitement had turned to disappointment as many had gotten through the doors of their local branches just in time to see the sold out sign being stuck over the promotion which promised 6 bottles for £20.

Julie O’Rourke, who had queued up outside Lidl in Southmead, Bristol, complained: "6.50am people were queuing for Lidl Prosecco, it was sold out two minutes after opening! People were going mad!!!"

Others reported jostling and fisty cuffs in the queues, whilst some posted pictures of deserted trolleys left by those who had realised that they had wasted their Bank Holiday Saturday.

Jessica Hughes‏, from Herefore, wrote: "Dad just got so annoyed with Lidl that they had no prosecco he's put all his shopping back and has gone to Aldi #myidol".

By Sunday afternoon the anger had turned to recrimination, with some claiming that they had been "duped" by the promise of a bonanza deal weekend.

Shoppers complained stocks were too low to satisfy a promotion that had been advertised for a month.

Lynsey Southern, from Devon, complained that the discount supermarket had sold her a "broken dream".

The supermarket's own-brand Allini prosecco was selling for the equivalent of £3.33 a bottle, compared to its normal price of £5.79.

There appear to be no plans to repeat the offer, which was due to run Saturday and Sunday whilst stocks lasted.

A Lidl spokesman said: "We always aim to provide our customers with the best quality products at the lowest possible prices and we are pleased that our bank holiday prosecco deal has received so much positive feedback.

"To ensure that as many customers as possible can benefit from the offer, we have limited sales to one case per transaction. We have, however, experience unprecedented demand and sincerely apologise to anyone that hasn't been able to take advantage of the offer on this occasion."