US Tourist Becomes Worldwide Laughing Stock After Revealing He Is Locked Inside A London Waterstones Store And tweeting For Help

• David Willis, of Dallas, Texas, said he was upstairs at store for 15 minutes
• But he came down to find all lights out and doors locked at 9pm last night
• Said that he had been locked inside shop in Trafalgar Square for two hours
• Metropolitan Police confirm officers rescued Mr Willis at 11.20pm yesterday

An American tourist became trapped in a Waterstones store in London last night after staff locked him in by mistake.

David Willis, of Dallas, Texas, said on Twitter that he was upstairs at the bookstore's branch in Trafalgar Square for 15 minutes before coming down to find all the lights out and the doors locked.

He told followers that he had been locked inside for two hours following the store closing at 9pm yesterday, and pleaded with Waterstones on the social networking website to 'please let me out’.

But it was not looking good, because the Waterstones social media team went home at 5.30pm yesterday and were not expected in until 9am today, while their website appeared to have crashed.

However at 00.15am, a tweet was posted on the company's account, saying: 'We're pleased to announce that @DWill_ [David Willis] is a free man once more. Thanks for your concern and tweets!'


Help had eventually come from the Metropolitan Police, who rescued him at about 11.20pm last night.

A force spokesman told the Daily Mail: 'We were contacted to say that a man was trapped inside the branch of Waterstones in Trafalgar Square. He was released between 11.05pm and 11.20pm.'

Before Waterstones tweeted overnight, the last message on the firm's Twitter account said: 'Thanks for the tweets today! We'll be back at 9am tomorrow to answer your queries :) Happy reading!'

Mr Willis posted a photograph on Instagram via his Twitter page at 10.11pm yesterday, with the caption: 'This is me locked inside a Waterstones bookstore in London.

'I was upstairs for 15 minutes and came down to all the lights out and door locked. Been here over an hour now. Supposedly someone is on their way. #nofilter #london.'

Then, in a message that has now been retweeted more than 5,000 times, Mr Willis said at 10.55pm: ‘Hi @Waterstones, I've been locked inside of your Trafalgar Square bookstore for two hours now. Please let me out.'

Then, at 00.24am today, he posted: 'I'm free.'

Twitter users were quick to offer Mr Willis assistance - with some telling him to call police, a few offering him food, and others giving book recommendations to help him pass the time.

Before he had been saved, journalist Gaby Hinsliff said: 'Need my bed but can barely sleep till I know the Waterstones One is free. Poor @DWill_. Hope they give him a book token to make up for it.'

Publisher Matt McAdam added: ‘What would you do if you were locked in one of the world's great bookstores overnight? @DWill_ is finding out! @Waterstones.

Mailonline