IT is one of the most eagerly awaited DVD and video releases of all time.But shoppers in Ipswich yesterdaywere able to get their copy of The Lord of the Rings The Two Towers – four days before the official release date.

IT is one of the most eagerly awaited DVD and video releases of all time.

But shoppers in Ipswich yesterdaywere able to get their copy of The Lord of the Rings The Two Towers – four days before the official release date.

It is understood one major retailer broke the embargo enforced by film distributor Entertainment in Video, which was in place until Tuesday, and many leading record chain stores followed suit.

Movie lovers in Ipswich took advantage of the early release and many queued outside stores in the town to secure their copy for the weekend.

A snapshot survey conducted by the East Anglian Daily Times found Virgin Megastore, WH Smith and HMV in Ipswich were selling The Two Towers DVD and video.

A spokesman for HMV said: "Normally the record companies and video companies recognise our needs and they will give retailers products on the Thursday or Friday to make sure we have it first thing on the morning.

"Increasingly supermarkets nationally seem to be disregarding that and doing their own thing. In the past there have been incidents where this has been an accident but we are aware of one supermarket chain that purposefully decided to break the embargo at one minute past midnight.

"What that then did this morning is the different retailers realised this had happened and decided to put the video and DVD on sale.

"HMV felt it had no option but to follow what the rest of the market was doing but it was something that we did reluctantly.

"We condemn the fact that this was done and that somebody broke the embargo unfortunately meaning the rest of the market had no option but to follow suit."

The spokesman said the company would be discussing the matter with the film's distributor Entertainment in Video.

"In future, these suppliers and record companies might think well, we're not going to give it to them in advance because we can't trust them," he said.

Entertainment in Video would not comment on the matter last night.

As expected, sales for the DVD and video soared in Ipswich yesterday.

The spokesman for HMV said: "It's obviously a bit of a bonus for customers who were desperate to get hold of it as soon as possible. We are generating and seeing huge sales. It's one of the best releases of the whole year and we are finding sales are reflecting that."