FANS of new technology braved an early start today to queue for Apple's newly released i-phone 4.

At its peak more than 100 people snaked along the high street from the O2 shop in St Anne's Road, Harrow, all waiting impatiently for the doors to open and start dishing out the latest must-have gadget.

It retails for around £600 or less for people on longer contracts.

Holding prize position at the head of the queue was Ben Hart, 33, who had a day off work as a project manager for Waitrose, which allowed him to arrive at 4am.

Mr Hart, 33, of Uxbridge, Hillingdon, said he was surprised to find no-one waiting ahead of him when he arrived as he'd had more trouble parking than he thought he would at that hour.

He said: "I drove past and saw noone was there, but then I had to go in a car park quite a distance away. I was chuffed when I walked back and found I was first in line."

After waiting by himself for around 30 minutes, Mr Hart soon found he was joined by more people, until by 6.30am it was more than 50 deep and by 7am over 100.

Staff had already arrived at the shop by this point and one of their first tasks was to bring out tea and coffee for the queuing public - which was much appreciated.

Mr Hart added: "The store wouldn't say how many phones they had available, but they appeared to be counting us all and trying to work out where to make the cut-off point.

"Everyone stayed in good spirits though and there was none of the stuff you hear about like being trying to bribe you to give up your place in the queue. However, at one point a man in a porche did a very slow drive past and appeared to be working out whether to bother joining or not. If he had offered me his car for my place I would have considered it."

Mr Hart had chosen to upgrade from his existing i-phone as his contract was nearly up, and once inside it was a 20 minute wait to sort all the paperwork before he proudly received the new phone.

He said: "I felt like I had to protect it as I left - not least because they give you a bag with GOT IT on the side in big blue letters - which is a bit of a giveaway! I didn't have far to go luckily but one man came all the way from Northolt in Ealing by bus and I didn't envy him his return journey."