Up to 100 cycle couriers hit the streets of London to deliver 15 copies of the band's first record in 15 years to selected music retailers who had been given permission to let fans buy the album a day early.

Scott Mitchell, 37, from Heathrow, London, was the first person in the country to own 'Chinese Democracy', which is officially released today(November 24).

Mitchell, who was 22 when their previous album 'The Spaghetti Incident?' was released, said: "It is crazy to think that it's been 15 years to the day since the last record was released.

"I've been hoping this one would actually see the light of day. It's great to be the first to finally own what we thought we'd never see.

"I've got all the previous albums and what I've heard so far is brilliant and sounds like it's going set the standard for the rock releases of the future."

HMV spokesman Gennaro Castaldo said extra copies of the album have been drafted in to cope with high demand at the retailer's flagship store on Oxford Street in central London.

"The anticipation and excitement around the release of 'Chinese Democracy' has been building for quite some time now - we've had more enquiries about this over the past couple of years than for any other album, and now it's finally here we expect it to fly off the shelves," he added.

He continued: "Our stores have ordered extra copies to cope with the likely demand, and a number of them will be opening early on Monday morning."