HUNDREDS of young fans were delighted when the caped crusader swooped down at a toy shop on Saturday.

Batman spent the day at Smyths Toys Superstore in Ravenhead Retail Park.

The DC Comics super hero, who is celebrating his 75th anniversary, met and posed for photographs with lots of admiring youngsters between 10am and 4pm.

Senior duty manager at the store, Carl Hughes, said: "We had people queuing to get in the shop from 7am.

"Around 100 children came dressed as Batman on the day and there must have been another few hundred who came to see him.

"The first 50 children to arrive in costume all got free goody bags — and they were all claimed within half-an-hour!

"We were really pleased with the effort the fans went to.

"There was also a competition for children to build the best Lego batmobile and the winner got some Batman toys."

According to Carl, sales of Batman toys were up on the day by 400 per cent and he said that this was also the first day of the year that boys' products had outsold girls'.

He said: "With the popularity of the film Frozen, the associated toys have been bestsellers all year, but on this day the boys' toys were flying off the shelves."

He added: "Thanks to all the families from St Helens and further afield who came along. The atmosphere was great and the event had a good impact on the shop."