Calais chaos: French storm Channel Tunnel while migrants hide in lorries

Calais descended into chaos on Tuesday as the Channel Tunnel was shut and rail services cancelled after protesting French ferry workers got on to the tracks. Hundreds of employees are staging a wildcat strike over fears they will lose their jobs next month as part of a restructure at Calais. A large number of migrants have been exploiting the strike action by trying to get into bound UK-bound vehicles backed up near Calais. The Foreign Office has told Britons driving in the area to lock the doors of their cars and lorries in slow-moving traffic.

There are large numbers of illegal migrants in and around Calais, who may seek to enter the UK illegally. Although local police patrols have been reinforced, you should keep vehicle doors locked in slow-moving traffic and secure your vehicle when it is left unattended.

Foreign Office

Eurotunnel said train services had been suspended in both directions due to the protesters on the tracks. A spokeswoman said protesters were burning tyres on the tracks. Eurostar announced mid-afternoon that services have been cancelled for the rest of the day. Meanwhile, truckers have been forced to drive slowly or stop in queues on the A16, the road that leads on to the Channel Tunnel. Desperate migrants were seen walking by the sides of motorways looking for opportunities to jump on to vehicles heading to the Port for Dover. French police used tear gas to restrain some of the migrants.

[Migrants] were trying your doors to get in the cab, trying to sneak under the axles on the trailers, trying to cut the locks and seals on the back of the trailers, even trying to climb on the roof of the trailers. It’s just getting worse out here. If they want to get in, they’ll get in - they’re armed and dangerous now.

Haulier Chris Cary

Business channel tunnel