DRIVERS reported 'absolute chaos' around Dorchester and Weymouth on Sunday due to road closures for Ironman. 

Carers were stopped from seeing patients, businesses were forced to close early and elderly people couldn't get their one weekly visit from family and friends. 

Police say they are investigating the possibility that diversion signs were delibereately tampered with. But motorists have labelled the day an 'utter shambles.'

One said he couldn't get to work after it took more than two hours in an attempt to drive from Stalbridge to Weymouth.

"I was totally lost and completely exasperated. There are no diversion signs and when I stopped at the barrier to ask, the stewards were foreign and didn't know what I was talking about. I was driving round, along with hundreds of other drivers, trying to find a way through to Dorchester, for an hour. It's a complete shambles.

"Nothing is signposted properly, the whole thing is a complete fiasco.

"It's one thing to block off a few roads so an event can take place, but not to provide any help or decent signage or diversions so that residents can go about their lives is a joke."

The Echo has received dozens of calls and messages from motorists. 

A carer who called said the police suggested she walk two miles with her equipment to avoid the tailback of traffic to get to a vulnerable woman’s house.

She was trying to get to Preston from Littlemoor.

Police refused to let her through despite the carer being in full uniform and showing them a pass.

She said: “The police said it was too dangerous to the competitors and said we would have to come back at 2.30pm and this was at 10am.

“We care for people who can’t even get out of bed by themselves. We had to call in a family member to get to her in the end.”

Another carer said it took two hours to carry out a round trip from West Stafford to Tesco at Dorchester to get medication for a terminally-ill man.

Dorchester resident Ron Kirby gave up on going to the annual charity plant fair at Athelhampton House.

"It was absolute mayhem," he said. "All kinds of roads are blocked off. We were going to Athelhampton and the two roads in to Athelhampton from the A35 were blocked off, we just couldn't get there. Once we turned round to come home, the Wool to Dorchester road was blocked off. I saw one driver in a huge lorry pulled over near a roundabout because he obviously wasn't local and had given up trying to find a way.

"I am sure that lots of people who were going to the charity plant fair didn't turn up; it has completely ruined the day."

Others claim that the diversion route sent out ahead of the event is incorrect; the A352 to Broadmayne is closed in both directions.

We have contacted Ironman organisers for comment. 

Speaking to the Echo on Sunday afternoon, they said they had made residents aware of closures in advance of the event and the majority of people had organised alternative routes for their journeys.

Jason Fricker, of Revels Fishery in Cosmore said takings are 85 per cent down today due to the event. Although he said organisers promised business access would be granted on the day, customers have been stopped by marshals and police. 

An elderly resident of Oaklands Park said residents could not get their weekly visit from family as a result of road closures, about which they were not informed. 

She added: "If we had been notified it would be a different matter. My sister lives in Dorchester and she called me to tell me about the disruptions there, but not once were residents here informed it would affect us."

Have you been affected? Call 01305 830999 or email us here and send us in your pictures.

The police have issued the following statement: "Officers in Weymouth and Dorchester would like to thank the public for their patience during the Ironman event.

"The event has been taking place today, Sunday 11 September 2016, and is privately organised.

"Throughout the day there have been road closures in place which are now being gradually lifted as the event comes to an end. The area around Warmwell is already being re-opened for motorists.

Weymouth Neighbourhood Inspector Pete Browning said: “I am very grateful for most people’s patience throughout the event.

“Unfortunately, there have been a number of incidents of interference with road signs. This irresponsible behaviour has exacerbated some of the traffic problems.

“We are working together with organisers of this private event to return the affected areas to normal as soon as possible.

“In addition we will also discuss received feedback with organisers to avoid issues during future events.”

Statement from Ironman organisers

A World Class sporting event of this scale doesn’t happen without incurring some disruption to local residents and businesses, in particular the road closures in place to allow for a safe 112 mile bike course for 2,800 athletes. We have worked closely with the local authorities over the past year, to develop a bike course that minimises impact where at all possible. 

 In the build up to the event, we delivered road closure leaflets to 70,000 residents via Royal Mail that were directly affected by the road closures, to help them to plan in advance to avoid unnecessary delays. The telephone and email helpline answered hundreds of specific requests to provide information to residents and businesses. 

 It was unfortunate that some signs on the course intended to divert traffic away from the course were removed, which impacted on people travelling in the area. We can only apologise for any further inconvenience caused as a result of this. The roads were however re-opened ahead of schedule.

 We have taken on board feedback from the public that have been affected from today’s event and will be reviewing how this can be incorporated into future planning."