New York, December 15 : Action figures based on President-elect Barack Obama have been "flying off the shelves", according to a Manhattan toy store worker.

The Barbie-sized figure, manufactured by a New Jersey company called Jailbreak Toys, was said to have been repeatedly grabbed by kids at Scholastic Store in SoHo.

"They are literally flying off the shelves. The kids see Obama, and they just want to grab him," the New York Daily News quoted a worker as saying.

According to manager Denys Ramos, the Broadway store had already sold 200 copies of the 12.95-dollar doll since the beginning of the month.

Ramos said: "This holiday season Barack Obama has been our Tickle Me Elmo. We did have the John McCain figure, but we had to discount it." (ANI)