More than 30 unlucky shoppers and staff were forced to sleep in an IKEA store after being stranded by heavy snowfall.
People browsing the store in Aalborg, Denmark, found that the adverse weather meant they were unable to get home on Wednesday night.
Six customers and 25 staff had to sleep on beds and sofas at the furniture store after the snowfall brought traffic in the region to a total standstill, and also forced the closure of all public transport.
The group packed into the restaurant area, watching football and Christmas TV to pass the time, the Daily Star reports.
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 days.
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 loca 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.”
