Twitter user Jeff Klein (@KleinORorkeUK) took this photo outside the Apple store in Bluewater. He said: "Apple supplied guests with Costa drinks and refreshments."

Apple fans desperate to get their hands on the new iPhone have been queuing for hours at Bluewater to be among the first in line.

The queue stretched from the Apple Store back to John Lewis, such was demand for the latest gadget.

Shoppers were also said to queuing outside the Stormfront store in Fremlin Walk, Maidstone, and mobile phone shops across the county.

The iPhone 4S is expected to be most popular iPhone yet, with one million pre-orders placed within 24 hours of the device going on sale.

It looks almost identical to the iPhone 4 but features built-in voice recognition software and an improved camera.

"We've been blown away with the incredible customer response," said Philip Schiller, senior vice president of worldwide product marketing at Apple.

Did you queue for the iPhone – or can't you think of anything worse? Do you know of any shops with stock left?