A giant inflatable balloon that went up in Oxford Circus to promote the Lumiere London art festival brought a bit of unexpected publicity for the event.

When high winds picked up, the art installation came loose and tossled over the busy shopping district, during rush hour, causing havoc for commuters. Traffic halted as the enormous ball swerved near buses and pedestrians.

Twitter users roasted the big white ball for its wind-driven escapades, calling it "Death Star" and "Oxford Circus Spherical Weirdness."

Around 40 artists will take part in Lumiere London from January 18 to 21 with city-wide works that include "illuminated singing see-saws in Mayfair, a meditation on time from the Industrial Revolution to the present day on Regent Street, and a Matisse-inspired animation dancing across the facade of the Royal Academy of Arts on Piccadilly."

The free event, commissioned by the Mayor of London and created by Artichoke, has international artists use light to reimagine iconic landmarks such as Westminster Abbey and the National Theatre.