Unexpected highway closure left drivers growing impatient for over four hours — then a woman’s small gesture instantly lifted their day
The smallest gestures made without expectation leave the biggest impression. A woman who helped people stuck at a standstill on a closed road in southern England was widely praised for her act of kindness. A video posted on Facebook showed drivers stranded for hours being offered necessary supplies. The incident was reported by Sussex Express on January 27, 2026. National Highways stated that the A27 was closed in both directions early Monday morning on January 26, 2026, after police were called to a medical emergency shortly before 5 a.m.
In the clip, a man was seen walking along the A27 near Chichester, handing out bottles of water and packets of chips to motorists stuck in gridlocked traffic. Traffic remained at a standstill for more than three hours due to emergency services working at the scene. However, when the frustration among the drivers grew, a moment was captured that touched everyone. A man named Ollie Pulleyblank weaved between cars, handing out chips and water to those stuck since early morning. Later, Pulleyblank joined the comment section, clarifying that he wasn’t the only one involved in the good deed. “Big shoutout to the lady who dropped the chips and waters off for everyone down the road. I was purely the delivery man,” he wrote.
The woman was also later identified as Zara Best from Hambrook, the outlet reported. According to her mother Liz Donovan, her daughter saw parents and kids out of their cars and wanted to assist. “I was walking my dogs and just happened to see the traffic at a standstill,” Best said, explaining that she looked down from a bridge and realized how long drivers had been waiting.
Seeing the situation, she immediately stepped in. “I saw a mom and her baby out of their car. I really felt for them,” she added. Best lived close to a local shop, and hence decided to act. She picked up water and chips, returned to the gate, and encouraged people to help themselves and pass items along, “especially towards the mum and her baby down the road,” she said.
Pulleyblank, a steel erector heading to work in London, saw this and joined her in distributing the refreshments. He had been stuck in traffic for around four hours and tried to bring some relief to an otherwise difficult situation. “Everyone was very thankful for it, that’s for sure,” he added, noting that the response to the video had been “absolutely crazy.”
Best shared that even small gestures can make a meaningful difference during such a stressful situation, hoping that this would encourage others to look out for people around them. Pulleyblank praised the emergency crews working at the scene, adding that he hoped the person involved in the medical incident would make a successful recovery.