WestQuay shopping complex was supposed to breathe new life into the city centre of Southampton and attract thousands of visitors.

At a cost of £295 million it took three years to build, causing huge disruption.

The creation of WestQuay - the largest city centre shopping complex in Europe - was the result of an incredible 13 years of intricate planning.

The stunning design of the building both inside and out had been scrutinised and debated at great length.

And even its low-key opening on Thursday morning was organised with a view to avoiding a mass influx of visitors into the city centre.

Even then, there were more than 104,000 visitors spending more than £1 million.

But it is that success that seems to have caught those behind WestQuay a little on the hop.

On Saturday afternoon, only WestQuay's third day of business - the number of shoppers forced bosses to shut its main entrance.

And the massive influx of 150,000 visitors on the day also prompted centre bosses to restrict entry to the food terrace.

It followed an accident on the escalator when several people fell on top of a woman who had tripped over the top step.

The escalator was switched off shortly afterwards, creating a long queue to the upper level, but WestQuay bosses say it was unrelated to the incident and that the action was taken because the food court was full.

WestQuay asset manager Vanessa Forster said: "There were many more shoppers here than we were expecting and I am very proud of the way our team handled the situation.

"Crowd control measures were put in place to manage health and safety of the public.

"At certain times we politely asked people not to enter via Above Bar because of the numbers.

"The food terrace was also completely full at lunchtime so we stopped the escalators.

"Our public safety officers are trained in crowd control and the mall is a place where we are totally in control of these issues."

One shopper, Adam Merrifield, said he saw the accident on the escalator and had to push his parents out of the way to prevent them being hurt.

Mr Merrifield, 27, of Clover Way, Romsey, said: "It was utter chaos.

"I heard a young woman scream as she tripped at the top of the escalator.

"The centre was crammed full and you could not see the floor because of the numbers."

His father, Ernest, 74, from Bournemouth, said: "We were really shaken up and didn't know what to do."

Roads around the shopping complex were congested, with some traffic at a standstill, as motorists poured into the city.

At one point on Saturday shoppers were evacuated after a suspicious package was spotted by security staff. The package was found to be harmless and shoppers were quickly let back in.

Meanwhile, an investigation has been launched after a shopfitter suffered serious head injuries at the complex on Friday.

As reported in later editions of the Daily Echo on Saturday, a worker believed to be in his 40s was taken to Southampton General Hospital after falling 15ft to the floor of a vacant shop unit.

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