Black Friday Deals 2015: Watch Live As UK Shoppers Set To Hit £1bn Record With Bargains At Currys, Amazon And More

Watch The Eye-Popping Black Friday Spending Total Rise In Real-Time
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Millions of consumers are set to spend their way to the UK's first £1 billion online shopping day today in the Black Friday bargain frenzy, the Press Association reported.

Experian has predicted spending to rise 32% compared to last year, despite major players such as Asda deciding to pull out of the event after chaotic scenes last year.

This live counter tracks how much money has been spent so far online and in stores - and the number is soaring.

The counter, created by digital marketing agency Red Hot Penny, manually tracks sales through data from Experian.

It also point out how many selfies with Justin Bieber (costing $2000 a piece) could be bought with the total, as well as how many Wayne Rooneys could be hired, or London Eyes could be built.

The growing number reflects the surge in spending since midnight when retailers made cut-price deals available online and many also opened their doors early to customers desperate to snap up discounted stock, ranging from televisions to toothbrushes.

Tesco and John Lewis have both installed queuing systems in expectation of large crowds, while the supermarket giant has assured customers it will have enough security and stock in stores following scuffles over limited numbers of items last year.

Ebay is expecting nine million Britons to visit its website today, Argos, Currys PC World and AO.com are all offering hundreds of pounds off selected items, while John Lewis has promised to honour its Never Knowingly Undersold pledge and match competitors' prices.

Amazon.co.uk is offering its Fire tablet for £34.99, £15 cheaper than the regular price, as well as deals on televisions, video game consoles and Star Wars toys and £650 off a Gibson electric guitar, while those in the market for fine jewellery can snap up a white gold and diamond tennis bracelet for £3,500 off the regular price of £8,995.

Last year, Black Friday overtook Cyber Monday for the first time as Amazon.co.uk's busiest day of the year, when it sold more than 5.5 million items at a rate of 64 per second.

Black Friday in the UK
Bargain hunters queue outside from 4am at Tesco Extra Kingsway in Dundee for Black Friday to try and get great deal on TVs. Nov 27 2015(01 of28)
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(credit:SWNS.com)
Bargain hunters queue outside from 4am at Tesco Extra Kingsway in Dundee for Black Friday to try and get great deal on TVs. Nov 27 2015(02 of28)
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(credit:SWNS.com)
Black Friday(03 of28)
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People picking up 49inch TVs for £199 at the Kingston Park Tesco Extra in Newcastle during Black Friday. (credit:Tom Wilkinson/PA Wire)
Black Friday(04 of28)
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A shopper in the Tesco Extra store in Surrey Quays, London, buys a TV on Black Friday. (credit:Yui Mok/PA Wire)
Black Friday(05 of28)
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Shoppers buy items discounted in the Black Friday sales at Tesco Extra in Cheshunt. (credit:Lauren Hurley/PA Wire)
Black Friday(06 of28)
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BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE The queue outside the Tesco in Cardiff before the doors opened on Black Friday. (credit:Benjamin Wright/PA Wire)
Black Friday(07 of28)
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Shoppers wait to enter Currys/PC World in Harlow, Essex on Black Friday. (credit:Lauren Hurley/PA Wire)
Black Friday(08 of28)
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Shoppers buy items discounted in the Black Friday sales at Tesco Extra in Cheshunt. (credit:Lauren Hurley/PA Wire)
Black Friday(09 of28)
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Shoppers buy items discounted in the Black Friday sales at Tesco Extra in Cheshunt. (credit:Lauren Hurley/PA Wire)
Black Friday(10 of28)
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A quiet Trafford Centre in Manchester, as retailers opened their doors early for Black Friday, but things got off to a relatively slow start. (credit:Pat Hurst/PA Wire)
Black Friday(11 of28)
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A quiet Trafford Centre in Manchester, as retailers opened their doors early for Black Friday, but things got off to a relatively slow start. (credit:Pat Hurst/PA Wire)
Black Friday(12 of28)
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Shoppers on Henry Street, Dublin, as retailers opened their doors early for Black Friday, but things got off to a relatively slow start. (credit:Brian Lawless/PA Wire)
Black Friday(13 of28)
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Shoppers buy items discounted in the Black Friday sales at Tesco Extra in Cheshunt. (credit:Lauren Hurley/PA Wire)
Black Friday(14 of28)
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The queue outside the Tesco Extra in Newcastle's Kingston Park before the doors opened on Black Friday. (credit:Tom Wilkinson/PA Wire)
Black Friday(15 of28)
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Shoppers queue to enter the Tesco Extra store in Surrey Quays, London, for Black Friday. (credit:Yui Mok/PA Wire)
Black Friday(16 of28)
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Shoppers in the Tesco Extra store in Surrey Quays, London, looking for Black Friday deals. (credit:Yui Mok/PA Wire)
Black Friday(17 of28)
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Shoppers queue to enter the Tesco Extra store in Surrey Quays, London, for Black Friday. (credit:Yui Mok/PA Wire)
Black Friday(18 of28)
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Shoppers in the Tesco Extra store in Surrey Quays, London, looking for Black Friday deals. (credit:Yui Mok/PA Wire)
Black Friday(19 of28)
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Shoppers in the Tesco Extra store in Surrey Quays, London, looking for Black Friday deals. (credit:Yui Mok/PA Wire)
Picture Shows: General View, GVNovember 27, 2015GV: General views of Black Friday shoppers getting an early start at the huge sales on Oxford Street in London, UK. Non-ExclusiveWORLDWIDE RIGHTSPictures by : FameFlynet UK � 2015(20 of28)
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General views of Black Friday shoppers getting an early start at the huge sales on Oxford Street in London, (credit:Alucard / FameFlynet.UK.com)
Picture Shows: General View, GVNovember 27, 2015GV: General views of Black Friday shoppers getting an early start at the huge sales on Oxford Street in London, UK. Non-ExclusiveWORLDWIDE RIGHTSPictures by : FameFlynet UK � 2015(21 of28)
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General views of Black Friday shoppers getting an early start at the huge sales on Oxford Street in London. (credit:Alucard / FameFlynet.UK.com)
Shoppers at Curys Pc world Crawley getting Black Friday deals, Crawley, Sussex(22 of28)
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Shoppers at Curys Pc world Crawley getting Black Friday deals, Crawley, Sussex. (credit:SWNS.com)
Shoppers queuing at Curys Pc world Crawley getting Black Friday deals, Crawley, Sussex(23 of28)
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Shoppers queuing at Carphone Warehouse Crawley getting Black Friday deals, Crawley, Sussex (credit:SWNS.com)
(24 of28)
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Shoppers queuing at Curys Pc world Crawley getting Black Friday deals, Crawley, Sussex (credit:SWNS.com)
Bargain hunters queue outside from 4am at Tesco Extra Kingsway in Dundee for Black Friday to try and get great deal on TVs. Nov 27 2015(25 of28)
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Bargain hunters queue outside from 4am at Tesco Extra Kingsway in Dundee for Black Friday to try and get great deal on TVs. Nov 27 2015 (credit:SWNS.com)
(26 of28)
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People shop for discount items at the Tesco Extra in Siverburn, Glasgow, during the black Friday sales. November 26 2015. (credit:HEMEDIA)
Bargain hunters queue outside from 4am at Tesco Extra Kingsway in Dundee for Black Friday to try and get great deal on TVs. Nov 27 2015(27 of28)
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Bargain hunters queue outside from 4am at Tesco Extra Kingsway in Dundee for Black Friday to try and get great deal on TVs. Nov 27 2015 (credit:SWNS.com)
People queue at the Tesco store in Dudley, West Mids ahead of the black Friday sales. November 26 2015.(28 of28)
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(credit:SWNS.com)

Police have warned shops to ensure they have carefully thought-out security plans in place for the sales following chaos at a number of stores across the UK last year when huge crowds grappled for cut-price televisions and other big-ticket items.

Experian-IMRG believes internet spending today will hit £1.07 billion, a 32% increase on last year's £810 million - the first time that online retail sales in the UK will surpass £1 billion in one day.

The Centre for Retail Research expects a slightly more modest £966 million online but predicts total Black Friday sales including at bricks and mortar stores will reach £1.39 billion, with shopping over the entire weekend - culminating in Cyber Monday - to hit £3.49 billion.

Visa Europe predicts that shoppers will spend £721 million online on its cards today, up from £616 million last year.

However, consumer advocates warned that shoppers should exercise caution amid the rush for bargains.

Martin Lewis, founder of MoneySavingExpert.com, has warned that the majority of Black Friday deals "aren't special" and advised shoppers to cross-check deals with items they actually need.

He said: "Above all, remember: if you don't want something, don't need it or can't afford it, then don't buy it."