LONDON (AFP) - - Britons queuing to possess the latest iPhone faced delays in getting hold of the must-have gadget Friday after a technical glitch at manufacturer Apple's flagship London store.

Around 150 people lined up outside the flagship Apple store on London's Regent Street before it opened at 8:03 am ((0703 GMT) although some had to leave empty-handed due to delays caused by the problems inside.

One, Chris Moorby, 26, said: "I'm leaving now because I've got to go to work but I'd otherwise wait all day. I've got a lot of patience for Apple."

Another customer, Antonio Guerra, 19, was prepared to be patient, saying: "I'm good, I've been here for 19 hours, I don't mind waiting a few more."

Staff at the store said the glitch had apparently been caused by the volume of people overloading the system.

David Suen, a 27-year-old Australian, said he bought his place at the front of the queue on Internet auction site eBay for under 50 pounds (63 euros, 100 dollars) from a man who had been waiting since 11:00 am (1000 GMT) Thursday.

Apple was not immediately contactable for comment on the delays but mobile phone network provider 02, its partner in Britain for the handset, said demand for the iPhone 3G had been "absolutely phenomenal".

Although 02 had no precise sales figures as yet, an 02 spokeswoman said it was selling around 40 handsets per hour in its London stores.