The must-have toy

Every Christmas has its must-have toy and 2002 has heralded a return to tradition as desperate parents scour shops for spinning tops called Beyblades.

"This year's top toy is definitely Beyblades," said a spokeswoman for the British Association of Toy Retailers. "It's basically a 21st century version of a Victorian spinning top, it is very much a traditional toy."

Shops have been unable to keep up with the demand for the tops, which were last year's phenomenon in Japan before they came to Britain.

Woolworths, Britain's biggest toy retailer, has sold 500,000 Beyblades in the last 10 days alone. The £5.99 Japanese tops are based on an ITV cartoon series and are designed to "fight" each other. The biggest challenge to parents is to find a Beyblades Stadium, an arena for the tops to spin in, of which there are said to be little more than a "handful" in this country.