Traffic jams snarled up roads around Wolverhampton’s biggest ever waterways festival as thousands of motorists travelled to the event.

See also: Sun shines on canal festival

Queues of cars snaked back along Blaydon Road in Pendeford as boating enthusiasts from across the country descended on the huge showground.

Traffic started building up on the main road to Pendeford Park about an hour before the annual festival opened its gates to the public at 10am.

Many frustrated motorists got fed up of waiting in the long line of traffic and abandoned their cars on grass verges next to the road.

Signs ordering festival-goers not to park on the grass were ignored and by lunchtime scores of cars had been left in haphazard rows along Blaydon Road.

A free park and ride service being operated from Wolverhampton Racecourse and from Wobaston Road did little to ease the parking problems.

The warm weather and sunshine brought large crowds to the much-anticipated waterways extravaganza which features a display of more than 300 narrowboats.

But the queues to get onto the site did little to dampen the spirits of those inside the festival ground.

Narrowboats on show included a grand £99,950 model which comes complete with bath, king-size bed and built-in washing machine.

Noel Creary, sales manager at Evesham-based Amber Boats, is showing off the 60-ft luxurious boat at the three-day event.

“We do the three big shows every year and we are looking forward to the next few days,” he said.

The festival will carry on throughout the bank holiday weekend. An illuminated boat parade will be held from 9pm tomorrow, which will be accompanied by a live jazz band.