IKEA hosts a giant sleepover after customers were snowed in overnight

Six IKEA customers got to live the dream this week when they spent the night sleeping in the furniture store's showroom beds after being snowed in.

People browsing in IKEA in Aalborg, Denmark, found they were trapped in the store on Wednesday evening following 12 inches of snow, meaning they were unable to get home.

The customers, along with 25 staff, were invited to choose a bed or sofa in the showroom to sleep on after the snowfall brought traffic in the region to a total standstill, and also forced the closure of all public transport.

They were treated to hot cocoa before bedtime and were even sung a Nordic lullaby, Elefantens Vuggevise, by the IKEA store manager, who wandered around the showroom singing goodnight to the group before lights out, according to local news reports.

To pass the time, the group packed into the restaurant area, where they were fed dinner and cinnamon rolls and then watched football and Christmas TV, the Daily Star reports.

The group spent the night sleeping in the furniture store's showroom beds on Wednesday night (stock image) (Collins Dublin, Colin Keegan)

IKEA Aalborg's store manager, who also had to sleep in the store, Peter Elmose, said: “This is certainly a new situation for us.

“It’s certainly not how I thought my day would end when I drove to work this morning.

“Our kitchen staff have made sure there is hot chocolate, pastries, soft drinks, coffee and the odd beer for us in light of the occasion. So we’ll be able to keep warm.

“We couldn’t just send them outside and lock the door behind them at our 8pm closing time. Absolutely not. So of course they’ll be staying here.”

Given the pandemic, all 'guests' slept in different parts of the store.

The country saw another 5,120 coronavirus cases yesterday, which is an average of around 4,299 every seven day

Meanwhile, 300 passengers in the city's airport were forced to sleep inside the terminal overnight.

Flights stopped early into the afternoon yesterday, and buses were unable to transfer passengers to nearby hotels.

Aalborg Airport operations manager Kim Bermann told Nordjyske told local news: “We have around 300 people in the terminal right now and have been giving out blankets on the assumption they will be staying here tonight.

“We have chosen to keep them warm and dry in a secure area.”