Mayhem at Swatch: Clashes erupt in shopping centres around the world as 'mobs' fight for coveted new limited edition watches

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Hundreds of hopeful shoppers camped out overnight in the hope to get their hands on the watches from the "Royal Pop" collection, produced in a collaboration with Audemars Piguet, costing £355. They are currently being sold on eBay for up to £3,000.

But the queues turned into violence outside stores across the world. In Paris, police used tear gas to control a 300-strong mob.

In the UK, officers were also called when huge crowds descended on stores in Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester and Sheffield, and a 25-year-old man was arrested in Cardiff.

London's Covent Garden store saw queues extending around the block, with some of those waiting in line bringing in their own generators for electricity as they camped out on the streets overnight.

Swatch stories in Europe and the US were forced to close after trouble erupted.

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Police dogs were deployed to shopping centres as crowds tried to force their way into stores.

“People were throwing chairs and people were pushed over,” one shopper in Manchester said.

“I got down to the lower level and another fight broke out. It got quite brutal.”

Tyler, 20, arrived at Battersea Power Station in London at 7pm on Friday night to wait for the opening of the store the following morning.

“People were tripping over rushing in, there was no control over the situation,” he told Metro.

“Lots of people were rushing in from different entrances.

“It settled again but it only took one guy to start pushing and shouting towards the doors, and lots of other people started. That was when police arrived.”

Swatch said that it had closed stores in the UK because of "safety considerations for both our customers and our staff".

Police dogs were deployed at the Battersea Power Station, where queues ran inside when its doors were opened at 7am, and Westfield shopping centres in London in response to the chaos.

A post on the company's Instagram read: "In light of safety considerations for both our customers and our staff, Manchester store will be closed for the day."

Officers in Cardiff were called to St David’s shopping centre at 6.20am on Saturday as about 300 people tried to gain entry.

South Wales police said a 25-year-old man was arrested and given orders not to enter the shopping centre again that day.

Police in Merseyside also received reports that a group of men was reported to have been acting in an aggressive manner and making threats outside Liverpool’s Paradise Street store.

Officers were also sent to the Trafford Centre in Manchester and “dispersed a large number of people”, Greater Manchester Police said.

Large crowds also grew out of control in Paris, Amsterdam, New York, and Milan.

The models, starting at £335, are already being listed on resale websites for £16,000, with many of those in the queues watch resellers.

Swatch later urged customers not to rush to buy the product.

A statement added: "To ensure the safety of both our customers and our staff in Swatch stores, we kindly ask you not to rush to our stores in large numbers to acquire this product.

"The Royal Pop collection will remain available for several months. In some countries, queues of more than 50 people cannot be accepted, and sales may need to be paused."