Car boot sales have always been associated with cheap goods but the popular British pastime has taken on an added significance during the cost of living crisis.

Smells from the burger van and tables of household goods greeted bargain hunters as Arminghall Carboot drew in folk from across the county to a field just off the A47 on the edge of Norwich.

Stallholder Adrian Ruthven, of Suffolk Teas and Infusions woke up at 5am on Sunday morning to attend the car boot from Raydon.

He said: "A lot of people come looking for bargains but I have noticed many are finding it harder to treat themselves to luxury teas these days which is sad.

"There has been a definite drop-off over the last two weeks. With electric and gas going up people are tightening their belts."

Annie Boddey was selling items in aid of Action for Greyhounds, a Norwich-based non-profit organisation dedicated to the welfare of greyhounds.

She said: "People do not seem to be as proud anymore. You used to hear more people say 'I'd never buy anything from a car boot or charity shop'.

"There are a lot of thieves around at car boots sadly and a lot of dodgy £20 notes which is really annoying when people are struggling and we are doing this for charity.

"There are groups of them who gather at one end to distract you and someone on the other side grabs something."

One 38-year-old trader from Lowestoft, who did not wish to be named, said: "You tend to find people want to pay a lot less for things even if they are 50p.

"It gets to the point where they want it reduced to 20p."

AJ Barber and Christina Taylor travelled from North Walsham to sell a range of household items at the Arminghall Car Boot for the first time on Sunday.

Items such as comic figurines and drying machines were snapped up immediately - although a £140 exercise bike was proving more difficult to flog.

Mr Barber said: "It feels like you are winning at life if you pick up a real bargain."

One 54-year-old trader, who did not wish to be named, said a fellow stallholder had told him about a woman taking a disc out of the case then run off without paying.

The DVD was being sold for 50p.