Shoppers clog up shopping centre

Last minute shopping comes at a price

The sheer volume of Christmas shoppers has jammed the roads in and around one of Bristol's main shopping centres.

On Monday some motorists waited more than four hours to leave Cribbs Causeway, which was gridlocked by lunchtime.

Police said there were also tailbacks on the M5 southbound, but that no roads had been closed or diversions put in place.

There were similar problems in the area at the same time last year.

Shopper Nina Marshall said: "I have not been able to get out of my parking space for three hours.

'Last-minute shopping'

"There is a policeman stuck in traffic as well, but we have food and drink and so on. I have just been to Asda.

"It is ridiculous as there are young children and taxi drivers stuck here."

John Edwards, commercial director at The Mall in Cribbs, told BBC News Online: "We haven't had one problem this year, but we did have a similar problem this time last year.

"People are taking the few days off before Christmas and doing their last-minute shopping."