Chic and tongue-in-cheek products are flying off the shelf

people went crazy over it. We thought it was tongue-in-cheek and quite funny. People get enough of it and we sold out really quickly.

“As soon as we got some more in, that sold out too. People have been saying the things are brilliant, they are buying them for themselves and for friends and family.

“We’re expecting it to be popular coming up to Christmas and we are getting more stock in this week.”

One customer who was desperate to get his hands on one of the mugs was 90-year-old Conrad Jones, who travelled to Leek by bus from his home in Bollington, Cheshire, to get one.

Great-grandfather Mr Jones, who is originally from Leek, said: “When I heard about them I thought, ‘I will have to have one of them.’ I think they are lovely, they’re a nice novelty. I will put it on the mantlepiece.”

The Alphabet Store, which opened in 2011, is a gift shop selling products depicting words and sayings.

It is a member of Leek’s Totally Locally initiative, which champions the town’s independent businesses and holds a monthly Sunday market.

Other popular products the store sells that celebrate Leek include ‘I Love Leek’ magnets, greetings cards featuring the town’s name, wooden signs and a range of products featuring the slogan ‘London, Paris, New York, Leek.’

Alison said: “We get a lot of customers who are tourists and they love the products that say Leek on them too. I couldn’t believe it when Conrad came all the way from Bollington, he was so lovely.

“He was really proud that he was born in Leek, it was so gorgeous.”