Papers were flying off the shelves in mid-May when The Sun and the News of the World ran their first ever promotion with top toy brand LEGO.

Hundreds of thousands of readers collected up to nine free toys each over the course of the promotion, picking them up daily from Toys R Us and WHSmith stores. 

The offer, which NGN won from the Mirror earlier this year, gave the papers a combined circulation uplift of 1.28million over the nine day period – a fantastic result that exceeded predictions.

The toys included branded Star Wars and Pirates of the Caribbean sets, as well as the popular Ninjago and Pharaoh’s Quest LEGO ranges.

The offer was promoted with a TV, radio and digital marketing campaign which featured LEGO mini-figures cheering at a rally as their King tells them about the offer.

The King, voiced by Ben Miller of Armstrong and Miller fame, tells the assembled crowd: 

“LEGO men, women, robots…the day we were built for has finally come.

“Every day next week, The Sun and News of the World readers get free LEGO toys. 

“Our hearts may be plastic but they are big.  We will be built and rebuilt to kingdom come.  And we’ll do so with a smile upon our shiny faces!”

A second wave of the LEGO promotion will take place later in the year.