A shopping centre drafted in rugby players to help deal with frantic customers and desperate shoppers on Black Friday.

Brent Cross, in Princes Charles Drive, Hendon, asked a group of professional rugby players to devise the “fair play” rules ahead of the craziness expected to fill the shops today.

Black Friday is the day following Thanksgiving in America, where many items are sold at half price in the run up to Christmas.

Brent Cross’s ‘fair play squad’ includes Saracens players Nils Mordt, Max Wilkins and Biyi Alo.

The squad were deployed in thecentre throughout the week to show security guards, shoppers and shop assistants how to cope with the Black Friday melee.

They defined nine rules of play including the 'shop side rule', 'stock blocking', 'free pick' and 'mobile sin bin'.

If shoppers break the rules, they'll be given a five-minute penalty outside the centre to eliminate 'rail rage'.

Katie Tucker, marketing manager at Brent Cross said: "Black Friday has become increasingly popular since migrating over from the US and as it grows in popularity we want to ensure shoppers avoid the shopping scrum.

“There's nobody better placed than Saracens to enforce our fair play sales rules throughout the centres and we expect Black Friday to run smoothly following our week of training."

'FAIR PLAY SALES' RULES:

1. The Shop Side Rule: Give fellow shoppers at least one metre's distance while shopping

2. Free pick: Always allow shoppers a three-second indecision 'delay' once an item is placed back on the rail

3. Tidy tactics: Do not drop discarded sale items on the floor. Sneaky swiping: Never take an item directly from another customers' hands

5. Queue-sers: Never queue jump whilst paying for items or save a space for someone in the queue

6. Pile 'Em Proper: If replacing an item after looking at it, ensure it goes back in the right sizing pile, on relevant hanger to avoid sizing confusion for other shoppers

7. Stock Blocking: Do not stop in or block walkways without checking for traffic behind you first

8. Stop Watch: Do not spend more than ten minutes at a time in the changing room

9. Mobile Sin Bin: Use of mobile phones is banned in walkways to ensure all shoppers are 100 per cent focused on the game ahead