Elton John fans left fuming after traffic jams force them to miss Exeter concert

Ticket-holders were forced to queue for up to four hours as they tried to reach Westpoint

Elton John, pictured here performing in Malaga, played to rain-soaked fans in Exeter on Sunday (AFP/Getty)

Elton John fans have been left fuming after severe traffic jams meant many missed the legendary singer’s Exeter gig on Sunday.

Ticket-holders were forced to queue for up to four hours “bumper to bumper” as they tried to reach Westpoint Arena. Despite John delaying the start of the show by ten minutes, gridlocked M5 lanes caused widespread chaos and disappointment. Some fans became so frustrated that they abandoned their cars and walked to the venue.

Westpoint tweeted its apologies for the “long delays” and told fans requesting refunds to get in touch with the box office they purchased their tickets from.

“We are extremely sorry for the long delays people have experience getting here tonight,” the statement read. “A mixture of issues have contributed to the traffic jams, including poor weather and a number of minor accidents, which caused a knock-on effect with the sheer volume of traffic trying to get to Westpoint.”

Devon and Cornwall Police has claimed that the problems were a result of them not being informed about a change to the schedule that saw John take to the stage at 7pm. “It appears the Elton John concert times were brought forward,” a spokesperson said. “Devon and Cornwall Police and Highways were not informed.”

Fans took to social media to air their rage at the “shambles” and demand an explanation for the poor organisation.

Those that did make it into the seated open-air concert at Westpoint were soaked by constant rain, with security staff reportedly trying to stop fans from getting up and dancing.

“If they can’t manage the traffic then they shouldn’t put on an event like this,” one ticket holder wrote on the BBC Spotlight Facebook page, while another couldn’t resist making the well-timed gag: “I guess that’s why they call it the queues”.