CAR shopping turned into a nightmare for a group of customers who found themselves trapped on the forecourt of a Worcester showroom.

The customers had been browsing at the Renault and Nissan Hylton dealership in St John's when they discovered staff had locked up and left.

Emma Carpenter was among the group shopping on Saturday afternoon, but when she got in to her 4x4 to leave the forecourt at 5pm she was

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stopped by concrete bollards that can be raised up and down automatically.

Assuming that there was a sales assistant who would let her out she sat tight and waited - until another car driven by an elderly couple pulled up behind her and they all realised they were stuck.

"It was a nightmare," said Ms Carpenter, 39, from Leigh Sinton.

"We tried calling the security firm number on the wall but they told us they no longer managed the security on the site, so we were left with no alternative but to ring the police.

"They managed to get hold of someone from the garage, but apparently he was 30 miles away in a pub and had had too much to drink to drive back and let us out.

"We were told we would have to stay there the night. It was ridiculous."

Ms Carpenter called her friends who brought a stack of palletts and metal ramps to enable her 4x4 to make it over a one foot wall and escape.

"No one came to check on us or see if we had finished before they went home," said Ms Carpenter.

"It's an appalling way to treat customers.

"I certainly won't be buying a Renault after this."

Gary Milward, general manager at Hylton Renault and Nissan, said he had received one complaint regarding the incident.

"We have problems with customers parking on our site and wandering off to other garages on Bromyard Road or even into St John's," he said.

"The sales manager has assured me that the site was completely clear and empty when he locked up.

A spokesman for Worcester police confirmed they were called at 5.41pm and in turn called the owner of the dealership who said he was 30 miles away and not in a position to drive back to Worcester.

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