Tesco staff hand out hot drinks and mince pies to drivers trapped in gridlock near Horsham

Heavy traffic on Sunday left motorists queuing for nearly two hours while shopping in the supermarket.

But staff tried to keep the stricken drivers in festive spirits, according to a Tesco spokesman.

He said: “Our colleagues did their best to help customers by bringing hot drinks and mince pies to those affected and providing freezer bags to ensure their shopping stayed chilled.”

The queues were due to temporary lane closures, which are part of the controversial Broadbridge Heath bypass works, according to the spokesman.

He added: “We are sorry for the inconvenience caused to customers who had a long wait when leaving our car park on Sunday.”