Now everyone can smell like Becks...

David Beckham struck an early winner yesterday as young men across the country snapped up his new fragrance.

Superdrug sold more than 2,000 bottles of the footballer's new Instinct product in its first five hours of trading. Some stores sold out, with the chain trebling its pre-Christmas sales forecast.

Its flagship store on London's Oxford Street reported large numbers of men aged 16 to 30 flocking to buy the product.

The England captain did not attend the British launch of David Beckham Instinct.

Instead a lookalike, known as Karoli, arrived two hours late at the Oxford Street store to be greeted by fans who asked for his autograph. Superdrug fragrance buyer Tim Hughes said: 'Forget the smell of mulled wine and turkey this Christmas, the country is going to be smelling of David Beckham Instinct.'

The fragrance contains scents of grapefruit, mandarin leaf, cardamom seeds and patchouli.

David Beckham Instinct is made by Coty, which has created fragrances for Jennifer Lopez, Celine Dion and Sarah Jessica Parker.

The eau de toilette costs £15 for 30ml and £30 for 75ml.