Almost 100 stores across Bathurst offered huge discounts during the Western Advocate’s annual Crazy Day shopping extravaganza. 

Bargain hunters also had the chance to win some great prizes when they shopped at participating stores. 

Scratch and win ticket holders who matched three die had to race their winning ticket to the Western Advocate office to claim one of three major cash prizes. 

And the first place prize of $300 was claimed just after shops opened yesterday morning.

Bronte Covington and her mum Renee had recently been shopping for graduation shoes and spotted the perfect pair – a stunning $140 black Siren set of high heels – but the price wasn’t quite right for the Year 12 MacKillop College student who works two jobs. 

So, Renee bought the Sirens and her daughter promised to pay her back. 

But the pair were in for a Crazy Day surprise. Renee was given a scratch and win ticket and she came up trumps – winning $300.

“It was a nice surprise, thanks to the lovely ladies at Pussyfoot,” Ms Covington said.

“Bronte has three graduations this year. She’s been invited to the ones for Stannies and Bathurst High, as well as her own, and she needed a pair of shoes to wear.

“We had been looking around for a while and finally found the perfect pair at Pussyfoot. But we were umming and ahhing because we really couldn’t afford them. 

“But Dianne from Pussyfoot said ‘I think you’ve won’ - I’ve never won a bloody thing in my life.

“Bronte is now super excited, and so am I because she is a magnificent young lady who never asks for anything and is always caring and considerate.”

The theme for this year’s Crazy Day was the 1980s, and plenty of retailers got into the spirit of things. 

Western Advocate advertising manager Erin Peacock said there are still prizes up for grabs.

“People can drop their scratch and win tickets off to the Advocate to go into the second chance draw, where there are eight $50 cash prizes to win. 

“Major prizes not redeemed by noon today will be redrawn from the second chance draw.”