Shoppers will be able to buy alcohol at Pinner's Tesco store round-the-clock in the three days leading up to Christmas Day.

The store in Ash Hill Drive normally opens at 8am and closes at 10pm but the supermarket chain successfully applied to Harrow Council for a temporary event notice to remain open through the night from midnight on December 22 through to midnight on December 24.

This means visitors to the shop will be able to buy as many groceries and booze as they want in this 76-hour period.

Harrow Police originally objected to the granting of the notice on the grounds of crime and disorder - the only category it is allowed to raise concerns about under the law - but when its evidence fell short, Sergeant Carl Davis, the licensing officer, had to withdraw the objection and the council approved the notice by default.