Christmas traffic jams cities

HUGE TRAFFIC jams built up around shopping centres throughout the country yesterday as Christmas shoppers came out in force. There were an estimated 40,000 customers by 11am at the Metrocentre in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. A five-mile queue built up at the M25 turn-off to the Lakeside shopping centre, Thurrock, Essex. At Selfridges, in London, there was a two-and-a-half hour wait to see Santa Claus.