Christmas shoppers cause jam at Cribbs Causeway
Police were inundated with calls from motorists who thought there had been a major accident.
Staff working at Cribbs Causeway had to stay at the end of their shift until the traffic had thinned out, though some decided to walk.
James Pearce, from Lawrence Weston escorted Analiese James and Tiffany Adalier, all 18, from Asda Walmart at Patchway where they work, to their homes in Henbury.
James said: "We decided to walk home as the buses had stopped running because they couldn't get to Cribbs Causeway. The roads were gridlocked.
"It took us about half an hour."
Motorists were stuck in their cars for hours.
Police and the Highways Agency took over traffic management from The Mall staff to try to get the road network moving again.
The Mall spokeswoman Sarah King said last night: "It's been very busy indeed. This is the latest we've ever seen Christmas shopping kick off.
"I think people left it as long as possible to secure the best bargains.
"Everyone seemed to have the same idea. From a trading point of view, it's a positive end to the year though I do sympathise with the people who were stuck in their cars for a long time."
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