Record shops across Bradford were today finalising preparations for the release of Gareth Gates' debut single on Monday.

Hundreds of fans are expected to queue for hours to secure their copy of the record.

But the city's biggest record shops have scrapped plans to open their at midnight on Sunday. Both HMV and Virgin will be opening at 8am on Monday instead.

Andy Baxter, of HMV in Bradford, said: "We have opened at midnight before to coincide with the release of albums by major artists such as U2, but this is a bit more of a mainstream market so we have decided against it."

The store has been decorated with merchandise of Gareth, pictured, and Mr Baxter said special plans were being put in place to cope with the rush on Monday.

He said. "I'm not expecting loads of people to be camping out on the street, but having said that I have worked for HMV for nearly all my working life and I have never known anything like this."

At the Virgin Megastore, manager John Walker said the shop had stocked up with record levels of Gareth's single.

"It seems like all of Bradford is buying this single, and some people are ordering five or ten copies of it - I don't know what they are going to do with them all.

"We have drafted a lot of extra staff in for the occasion, and we have bought in more copies than for any single ever before," he said.

The campaign to raise money for six-year-old cancer sufferer Robyn Brooks continues tomorrow with a series of fundraising events at a Bradford pub.

The Fire Brigade pub in Southfield Lane, Bradford, will host activities including sponsored head and leg shaves to raise money for Robyn's Fund.

A DJ and other staff will also be donating wages to the fund which is aiming to raise money to pay for life-saving treatment for the youngster. The events start at 2pm at the pub.