DRIVERS who ignored a road closure at Sandbanks on Sunday face "almost an hour in gridlock" following a surge in visitors.

Authorities implemented a "circuit breaker" in an attempt to "prevent an unmanageable influx" of traffic to the peninsula on the afternoon of June 13.

However, Poole Police said some people ignored signs and ended up being stuck in lengthy delays as a result.

A spokesperson for Poole Police said: "The police do not close roads for fun. They close them for reasons of safety.

"This road closure was placed as a circuit breaker to prevent an unmanageable influx of traffic to the Sandbanks peninsula on Sunday afternoon.

"Unfortunately those who did breach road closures were stuck for almost an hour in gridlock on the other side. We told you so.

"The road in Sandbanks was laid in the year 1911. As such the road network is not designed for the volumes we are experiencing recently.

"We do completely appreciate that people want to visit the beach. Our best advice to you - plan your visit. Have a back up plan in mind.

"Dorset has around 100 miles of coastline. If you research your visit effectively, you will ensure the day at the beach you imagined as opposed to the afternoon in the car most tourists suffered today."

The spokesperson thanked the volunteer special constables who assisted with the road closure, which was in place for several hours to alleviate pressure on the roads.