REDDITCH residents have responded to the traffic 'havoc' outside a McDonald's restaurant - which had to be temporarily closed soon after reopening.

All Redditch and Alcester branches of the fast food chain reopened their drive-thru services last Tuesday (June 2).

However, a surge of people eager to get their hands on a Big Mac at the Moons Moat restaurant caused 'horror' for drivers as huge queues filled the surrounding roads.

One Winyates resident said he steered clear of the area when commuting to and from work.

He said: "The traffic was beyond belief when it reopened.

"It was the sheer magnitude of people eager to go to McDonald's. They were queuing around the whole area.

"It's a little bit ludicrous.

"It amazes me that people are this desperate for a burger and fries."

Another resident said she was "upset" at the "disgusting" and "irresponsible" traffic outside the restaurant.

She said: "The reopening of McDonald's might have been a dream come true to some fast food fans however it has certainly been a horror for others trying to get through the traffic to access the industrial estate to go to and from work."

"Some of us are working extremely long hours and have not been furloughed, it is a bit too much at the end of the day to be stuck in 30 minutes traffic around the island because hundreds of selfish citizens are blocking the road.

"Surely you’ve not been so starving during lockdown".

A spokesperson for McDonald's said: “With restaurant teams adjusting to new procedures to enable safe working and social distancing, things have been taking a little longer – and demand has been very high.

"In line with our opening plans, we are working closely with the police and local authorities to mitigate the impact of queues as much as possible, and made the decision to temporarily close the Moons Moat restaurant for a brief period on Tuesday to help manage demand.”