The wait is over... ecstatic Apple fans get their hands on the iPhone 5

London's longest ever queue of devoted Apple fans lined up outside the firm’s flagship Regent Street store from before dawn today to get their hands on the much-hyped iPhone 5.

Almost 1,300 “near hysterical” shoppers were waiting outside by the time the shop’s doors were thrown open at 8am — smashing the record of 778 for the iPhone 4S just 11 months ago.

Hundreds more camped outside the Covent Garden store, including one who had waited an entire week. Staff whooped and clapped as the doors opened on schedule and the first excited customers flooded in.

First in the mostly male queue on Regent Street was Ryan Williams, 22, an IT entrepreneur from Swanley, who had stayed for seven nights to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

He said: “The atmosphere has been amazing. We’ve been really well looked after and had Saturday night party-goers coming into our tent and taking pictures.”

The first person into the Covent Garden store, Richard Wheatcroft, 30, from Leicester, had been queuing outside for seven days and 15 hours.

He plans to sell his new iPhone 5s on eBay to raise funds for a project helping former sex workers.

Cam Newton, 18, of Barnet — in a black Lycra body suit — said: “ I camped for five days but walking out with the iPhone 5 made it all worthwhile. I actually bought two, one for my friend.”

Some wealthy City buyers had even sent “butlers” to queue for them. The phone, which is thinner and lighter than previous models and can use the newly-announced 4G network, costs from £529, with the 32GB model selling for £599 and the 64GB version costing £699.

Keen Apple fans will be looking forward to using the 4G network - which offers speeds up to five times faster than 3G - and allows uninterrupted access to the web on the go, high-definition films to be downloaded in minutes and TV to be streamed without buffering.

Meanwhile, Apple fans jammed shops from Sydney to Tokyo to pick up the iPhone 5.

Eager buyers formed long lines today at Apple Inc. stores in Australia and Japan to be the first to get their hands on the latest version of the smartphone.

In Hong Kong and Singapore, buyers had to sign up online for the chance to pick up the device at a prearranged time.

The first customers in Hong Kong were greeted by staff cheering, clapping, chanting "iPhone 5! iPhone 5!" and high-fiving them as they were escorted one-by-one through the front door.