Kampala — It was an early Christmas for residents of Walusubi trading centre in Mukono on Tuesday when they drunk their heads off after looting a truck ferrying beer.

The Isuzu truck, carrying 800 crates of the Eagle Lager brand, overturned at about 7:10am, while trying to avoid a collision with a Gateway bus.

The truck was heading to Kampala from the Nile Breweries plant in Njeru town. Ntege Kigozi, the driver and the tonne-boy, Abbas Mutesaala, escaped unhurt.

"We swerved off the highway as we tried to avoid a head-on collision with the bus that was overtaking another car," said Mutesaala.

The accident occurred at a sharp corner near the trading centre, about 10km from Mukono town on the Kampala-Jinja highway.

Vendors from Namawojjolo roadside market, about a kilometer from the scene, also rushed to the accident spot and made off with a share of the loot.

"Kirisimaasi ewedde kati," (Christmas is done) a vendor draped in a blue apron said, as he made off with five bottles.

Drama ensued when the Police and local defence officers secured the scene, engaging the looters in running battles.