Driver's car park fury

A motorist caused traffic chaos at one of Telford Shopping Centre's busiest car parks today when she launched a protest against paying – by blocking off the exits.

The motorist trapped cars in the centre's Red Oak car park at lunchtime by parking her 4x4 vehicle across the exit barriers.

Eyewitnesses said she was "raving" and "shouting" about having to pay for the time she had parked in the town centre car park.

Drivers stuck in the jams caused by the woman's protest said she seemed to be a tourist visiting from America and claimed they did not have parking charges in her country.

She is understood to have blocked the exits for 20 minutes, forcing car park control and security officers to divert drivers through the Asda petrol station exit.

Paul Taylor, who watched the commotion unfold, said: "She was shouting and raving and the whole car park was gridlocked. She has parked her vehicle so she is blocking the two exit barriers.

"It was utter madness."

Mr Taylor said all the car park rows were blocked with cars trying to get out.

"She was saying 'I'm not paying, we do not do this where I come from'," he said.

Another motorist, who declined to be named, said: "The woman just wouldn't move. She was blocking the barriers. No-one could get out of either of the exits on to the ring road."

It is understood the woman had lost her ticket after entering the short stay car park.

The car park policy, which is stated on all machines and signs, states anybody who loses their ticket will be charged for the full day – £6.

A spokesman for the shopping centre's car park security services said: "She moved on after about 20 minutes of starting. She realised she wasn't getting anywhere.

"She paid the fee and left and everything returned to normal."

Chris Ammonds, Telford police spokesman, said officers were called shortly before 11.45am, but the matter was resolved before officers arrived.

By Kirsty Smallman