Maximum chaos for Mini show motorists

Thousands of motorists were caught up in traffic chaos surrounding the Mini's 50th birthday celebrations as two-mile jams built up.

Record numbers de-scended on Himley Park for the British Mini Club's annual vehicle show, which was this year marking 50 years of the iconic car.

Organiser Dave Hollis said 5,000 people made it through the gates but many more decided to turn back after becoming snarled up in long queues at Himley.

Drivers travelling along the A449 from the direction of Stourbridge and Kidderminster reported police preventing them turning right towards the venue as the officers tried to manage the traffic.

Express & Star motoring editor Peter Carroll was caught up in the queues and eventually decided to turn back. "There were simply too many people trying to get in, and the roads could not cope," he said.

Mother-of-two Catherine Drew, aged 35, of Coton Road, Penn, said: "I was on my way to Bewdley, and it took me more than half an hour just to get through the queues at Himley."

Organiser Mr Hollis, aged 45, said: "It is one of those things – if you have got a successful event, it is going to cause traffic problems. I can only apologise."