Shoppers stranded for hours at Trafford Centre amid massive traffic jams

Shoppers have been left waiting for hours to leave the Trafford Centre as queues leave people stranded in their parking spaces in traffic chaos. Some customers have reported delays lasting up to two and a half hours as they try to exit the shopping centre, with factors including seasonal crowds and today's Manchester United match blamed for the mayhem.

Many customers have reported being stuck on the car park for hours on end as they try to head home. Some have said they've been waiting for over four hours, while others say around two hours or an hour and a half.

Among those who are stuck are Natalia Suska, 33,and her partner Piyush Sheopuri, 31, who had gone to pick up an order from Pandora. Natalia told the Manchester Evening News: "We've been here two hours. I've never experienced something like that, even the day before Christmas.

"It wasn't that bad, we've been here on the 23 and it was busy but not that much." She added: "I messaged by partner, I was picking up the order. I quickly picked up the order and said where are you, that was ten past four."

Piyush said: "People have parked up on the footpath and the grass as well."

Samantha Louise Smith told the M.E.N.: "It has just taken me 3.5 hours to get off the main car park, my sister in law is still sat there and is over 4 hours and hasn’t moved more than 10 feet!"

Eyewitness reports have said that the roads around the centre were 'jam packed' with 'nothing moving'. The traffic also extended out into the junctions near to the centre.

Visitors have also begun taking to social media to vent their frustration at the delays. Julie Brannan wrote on Facebook: "Stuck on the car park at the Trafford centre - absolute joke !!! No traffic stewards or anything and they are