At least 22 would-be bargain-hunters suffered crush injuries and heat exhaustion as a 6,000-strong crowd forced a new Ikea superstore to close on its opening night.

Cars were abandoned on London's busy North Circular road and customers were crushed in the chaos which ensued after the furniture store opened its doors at midnight.

The new outlet in Edmonton, the biggest Ikea in England, was due to trade for a full 24 hours, with a programme of special offers and entertainment. But the store was forced to shut up shop within 45 minutes due to an "unforeseen volume of customers".

Emergency services were called and six people were taken to hospital, including in the vicinity of the store and a man suffering chest pains.

An Ikea spokeswoman said that it was decided to close for the safety of customers and staff, and the store would remain shut until further notice. She denied that the stabbing victim had been injured in the store, and said it was a separate incident.

She added: "Ikea are deeply shocked, upset and concerned at what occurred. Ikea take the safety and security of its customers and employees very seriously at all times."

Assistant Divisional Officer William Bird of the London Fire Brigade, who was called to the scene, said that he had never seen anything like the chaos.

"It was extraordinary and to an extent unexpected, I have never attended anything like that before," he said.

"Fire crews arrived at the Ikea store in Meridien Way to find severe traffic congestion and many thousands of people trying to get in to the new store."

Cars had been abandoned on the North Circular road, as people rushed to the shop on foot in order to arrive in time to snap up the bargains - such as a leather sofa for £45 - which had been advertised in strictly defined time slots.

The fire crews were hampered in arriving at the scene of the trouble by the sheer number of cars blocking the road.

"People were really trying to get into the store and surrounding car parks, and that caused an enormous problem with access to the premises," continued ADO Bird.

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