´óÏó´«Ã½

Clementine, the glamorous living fashion doll, has a nose for a bargain so it's no surprise that she makes a beeline for Norwich when it comes to making the most of the sales.

With the city named as one of the top 10 shopping centres in the UK, it offers residents and visitors an excellent mix of high street and independent stores in a variety of settings - from the Hollywood kissed cobbled streets of Elm Hill to modern shopping malls.

Clementine first scouted the shops at Christmas when she was back in the city to visit family and friends. Being well prepared for the sales is one of her top tips.

"Always do your homework in advance of the sales, know what your heart desires and plan your shopping route accordingly," she said.

Try to resist impulse buying!

"Girls - if you see anything fabulous, that 'must have' item, the last thing you want to be doing is wasting time browsing when on a sales spending mission. Work out what you want and then go get it.

"I'm like a mini-shopping missile that always finds its target," she added.

Sales shopping tips

January is a time when many people are facing up to the cost of Christmas, so Clementine suggests the following top tips to avoid over-spending in the sales.

• Write a list
• Know your dress size
• Only spend what you can afford
• Never tell your friends you buy clothes cheap in the sales
• Avoid temptation (easier said than done)

Consumer rights

Buying items in the sales can also change your consumer rights when it comes to returning goods.

"Don't take it for granted that you can just return your purchase if you don't like it or it is not suitable," said Ann Jackson, trading standards officer with Norfolk County Council.

Don't let friends spot you in the sales

"Keep receipts, especially handy during sales as goods can be further reduced during the duration of the sale. This will especially apply to Clementine when she is shopping for clothes.

"People should also avoid using stores or traders of a temporary nature.ÌýIf they close down then who do you turn to if you have any problems?

"It's also worth considering to pay with a credit card if your purchase is more than £100, as this will give you extra rights to claim against the credit card company," she added.

Ann also recommends the following:

• You only have a legal right to return goods if they are not of satisfactory quality, not fit for their intended purpose or not as described.ÌýThis applies to sales goods equally
• Think carefully before purchasing extended guarantees especially on large electrical goods.ÌýRead the terms and conditions before agreeing to make certain that it covers everything you would expect it to

"Clementine, or anybody else, can get further advice on shopping in the sales and other consumer issues by calling Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06," said Ann.

Clementine all boxed-up for Christmas

Clementine's story

If this is the first time you've met Clementine, her story starts not so long ago:

Clementine, the living fashion doll, came to life following a freak accident when the nuclear heart from a falling satellite exploded into a plastics factory and landed in her mold. She was sold to a freak-show, but escaped with the help of the strong-man.

She now lives in a London penthouse, but her road to fame and fortune started on a beach in Sheringham when she was discovered splashing in the surf in search of mermen by Norfolk puppeteer Mark Mander.

A dolly-diva, imagine the love-child of Lucile Ball and Barbie, Clementine works as a singing star, fashion icon, theatre darling and TV presenter with her tiny feet steeped in both fantasy and reality.

Sometimes she can be as sassy as Samantha from Sex in The City, and at others as naive as Ugly Betty!