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Dover port alert as Calais strike causes disruption Calais fire blockades as strike disrupts Channel
(44 minutes later)
Cross-Channel ferries have been disrupted after strike action in France closed the Port of Calais. Fires have been lit and strike blockades mounted at the Port of Calais leading to severe cross-Channel ferry and rail disruption.
Dover Harbour Board said three operators have been affected - DFDS Seaways, P&O and MyFerryLink. Migrant activity is reported to have increased as a result of the strike, with attempted break-ins at the French port and people trying to get on to slow-moving lorries in motorway queues.
Eurotunnel also said its services had been disrupted because of an incident in a terminal. Three ferry operators and Eurotunnel services are affected.
The rail operator has not given details of the incident, but lorry driver Chris Cary tweeted a picture of what he described as a blockade. The BBC has been told the industrial action is by MyFerryLink workers.
A statement from Dover Harbour Board said industrial action began in the early hours in France. BBC South East reporter Simon Jones said MyFerryLink vessels were preventing other ships at Calais from moving.
It said: "All ferry services to and from the Port of Dover are therefore affected, with DFDS Seaways services still running to Dunkerque as normal." 'Road on fire'
Passengers have been advised to check with their ferry operator before travelling. Dover Harbour Board said the industrial action closed the Port of Calais in the early hours and all ferries to and from Dover were affected, apart from DFDS Seaways which was still running services to Dunkerque.
Port officials said they would continue to monitor the situation closely, but warned there could be further delays when the Port of Calais reopened. A Eurotunnel spokesman said the strike was expected to last until 20:00 French time, but the rail operator was trying to run as many trains as possible.
Eurotunnel said freight drivers approaching the UK terminal faced a two-hour wait, while those approaching the French terminal faced a four-hour wait. He said port workers had blockaded the entrance to the Eurotunnel site and in consequence there had been motorway disruption and increased migrant activity with people trying to climb on to vehicles as well as break-in attempts.
The rail operator said the incident was in the process of being resolved. Lorry driver Chris Cary, from Rochester, said he tried to cross the Channel back to Kent in the early hours but then decided to attempt getting on a train instead.
But he said he found the road on fire as he approached the terminal with about 500-600 trucks waiting to cross and police and firefighters at the scene.
"I didn't cancel my booking this morning for P&O, so I've literally just come back to the port and I'm now sitting back on the lane where I was at 03:10 this morning waiting for a boat," he said.
Dover port has urged people travelling with DFDS Seaways, P&O and MyFerryLink to check with their operators before travelling.
But MyFerryLink tweeted: "Port of Dover severely congested. Please do not try to check in."