The Kylie effect hits Harrods
It was the middle of the night and temperatures on the pavement were well below freezing.
But this group of Kylie Minogue fans had the prospect of meeting their heroine to keep them warm.
By the time Harrods opened yesterday morning, 300 had arrived to see the star signing bottles of her new fragrance, Darling.
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First in the queue was Alexandra Collins, who had been camped outside the Knightsbridge store since 6pm on Thursday.
Emerging with her £26 bottle of perfume, she said: "I've come all the way from Ireland and it was so fantastic to meet her. I've waited 16 years. It's my 28th birthday today and she wished me a happy birthday."
Mark Dare, an account manager from Hatfield, Hertfordshire, took the day off to claim his place in the queue at 5.30am.
He said: "Kylie's amazing and she asked me how I was doing. I said to her that I've wanted to meet her for over 20 years. And she said hopefully there'll be another 20."
Miss Minogue announced she had beaten breast cancer last year after months of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Friends said yesterday that she had been coping with her break-up from French actor Olivier Martinez "like any girl does - by eating copious amounts of chocolate".
"She has been hitting the chocolate pretty hard - and doing twice as much yoga and pilates to make sure it doesn't go on the waistline."
According to one source, Miss Minogue is keen on the idea of adopting a child despite being on her own.
"She has been contacting adoption agencies in Australia and in the UK as well, regardless of her not having a partner.
"In the last few days she has even been on the phone to Madonna asking her advice on adopting a child from abroad. They were talking about Malawi and the other African countries.
"Kylie had hoped to have a child with Olivier. But breaking up with him does not appear to have lessened her yearning to have her own children."
