Swatch stores in Manchester and Liverpool close for second day as crowds queue for £335 pocket watch

Swatch stores in Manchester and Liverpool were shut for a second day after queues built up again, with shoppers keen to buy a new £335 pocket watch.

The stores were first closed on Saturday "due to safety considerations," along with branches in Birmingham, Sheffield, Glasgow, Cardiff and London. The closures followed the launch of the "Royal Pop" pocket watch, a collaboration between Swatch and luxury watchmaker Audemars Piguet.

Despite retailing at £335, the watches have already been resold online for up to £16,000.

What has Swatch said?

In a social media post after crowds gathered at branches worldwide, Swatch asked people "not to rush to our stores in large numbers" and said the items would "remain available for several months."

The company added: "In some countries, queues of more than 50 people cannot be accepted, and sales may need to be paused."

Were police called?

Yes. One man was arrested in Cardiff on Saturday, while police were called to reports of people "making threats" outside the Liverpool store.

Some have criticised the company, saying the watches should have been available on its website and that police resources had been unnecessarily diverted.

What is the watch?

Swatch said the collection was inspired by the Pop Art movement of the 1950s and 60s, describing it as "a disruptive collaboration between two icons of Swiss watchmaking." It combines the design of Audemars Piguet's Royal Oak with the colourful Swatch Pop brand from the 1980s.

Has this happened elsewhere?

The chaos was not limited to the UK. An event was cancelled in Dubai, police were called to launches in France and Switzerland, and in New York, shoppers camped for a week in Times Square, with reports of some becoming unwell during the wait.