Motorists were stuck for five hours in Trafford Centre, leading to fights and chaos among frustrated shoppers and fans.
Manchester: Last night was wild at the Trafford Centre. Drivers were stuck in traffic for up to five hours, and it got so heated that some started fighting.
Kids were crying as tensions rose outside the shopping center, where tons of people were trapped in the car park. It was a Monday evening, and the place was packed with Christmas shoppers and Manchester United fans.
As folks tried to leave, many couldn’t get out of their parking spots. Eyewitnesses said they saw people yelling at each other and even getting physical as the situation spiraled out of control.
Cody Fisher, 18, and his boyfriend Lewis Moran, 20, were there after catching a movie. They spent an hour looking for a parking spot and then found themselves stuck for nearly five hours when they tried to leave.
Cody shared, “When we got to about half-six, seven, that’s when people started getting really annoyed.”
Some drivers even tried to make their own escape routes by opening gates that were usually closed. It was getting tense, and Cody witnessed a fight between two women, one with a child.
“They were screaming ‘we’ve been here five hours’,” he said. “I’ve never seen anything like it, it’s a nightmare.”
Fans leaving the Manchester United game against Newcastle were also caught up in the mess. The chaos was so loud that you could hear the shouting and anger from a distance.
Natalia Suska and her partner were there to pick up a gift and said they’d never seen anything like it, even during the holiday rush. They mentioned that the day before Christmas was nothing compared to this.
A spokesperson for the Trafford Centre said the delays were due to a mix of high foot traffic and the nearby football match. They assured everyone they were working with the police to clear things up as quickly as possible.
They appreciated everyone’s patience while trying to get in and out of the car parks.
