Shoppers make a late dash for the last festive presents
THE tills were ringing as thousands of shoppers hit the high streets for the final flurry before Christmas.
Buchanan Street in Glasgow was one of the busiest spots while 90,000 people are thought to have visited Glasgow Fort.
Many retailers have already started sales, with Mothercare, Marks and Spencer and The White Company all selling stock at up to half price.
With some schools having finished earlier in the week, families were also flying off on holiday or to visit relatives.
More than 380,000 people were expected to pass through Glasgow Airport over the next two weeks, with many on their way to the Canary Islands, Dubai or Alicante.
Other popular spots are Berlin, Reykjavik and Geneva.
South of the Border, the Christmas getaway was hit by congested roads, disruption on the rail network and the suspension of flights at a major airport.
Thousands of airline passengers suffered delays and cancellations when Bristol Airport suspended flights after a BMI aircraft came off the runway while taxiing to the terminal upon landing from Frankfurt shortly after 11.30am.
No-one was injured but at least 60 flights were cancelled or diverted while the recovery effort was completed.
An airport spokesman said: “We’re sorry for the
Glasgow’s Buchanan Street was thronged with shoppers as the traditional late rush to the shops happened for another year.
disruption and flight cancellations experienced and fully appreciate it is frustrating.”
Many of Britain’s mainline routes will be partially shut in the coming days as Network Rail carries out its biggest ever Christmas engineering programme.
The West Coast Main Line will be halted between Preston and Lancaster from tomorrow to December 27, with buses replacing trains.
Passengers travelling between London and Glasgow during this time are advised to go via Edinburgh, adding around an hour to journeys.
Glasgow Airport is expecting its busiest ever festive period.
Christmas shoppers in the centre of Edinburgh yesterday.