A BARBERSHOP quartet and a mariachi band jumped out of a giant purple vending machine the height of a double decker bus to surprise shoppers in Worcester with an impromptu performance.

The acts were some of the hundreds of free spontaneous Thank You prizes vended to shoppers at the Homebase store on Elgar Retail Park in Blackpole Road, as they "swiped to win" on the Nectar Thank You machine. Big enough to hold more than 1,700 bunches of flowers, 5,300 boxes of chocolates or even two fully grown adult elephants, the gigantic 13ft tall vending machine became the centre of attention when it appeared outside the store.

Surprised shoppers discovered they could swipe their Nectar card to win a special thank-you from their loyalty card. Anything from a box of chocolates or cinema tickets, to home ware, flights, or trips on Eurostar.

Shelly O’Bren, who lives in Brockhill Village, near Norton and was the lucky winner of easyJet flights, said: “I’m over the moon with my thank you surprise, what an unexpected treat. We’ll be planning a lovely family trip away somewhere hot for next year. I’ll definitely be telling all my friends and family to swipe their Nectar cards this month to get a thank you treat, you never know where it could lead you.”

The massive vending machine was created in celebration of the millions of bonus points Nectar card holders can "swipe to win" throughout October during a month long Thanks a Million promotion.

The stop in Worcester was part of a national tour which will see the vending machine surprise shoppers around the country as it pops up at various locations.