Eurostar passengers urged not to travel from Paris to London due to strike

Eurostar passengers hoping to make the trip from Paris to London are being told to travel "only if absolutely necessary".

Industrial action by French customs officers has resulted in massive queues at the Gare du Nord station in the French capital.

Three trains were cancelled on Monday, two more will not run on Tuesday and three have been cancelled for Wednesday.

There were reports of people having to queue for between two and three hours before being able to board a train.

Passengers are being offered the chance to change their travel plans or receive a full refund.

Eurostar said on its website: "We recommend not to travel unless absolutely necessary. If you are travelling from Paris until March 20, you can change your ticket free of charge to a future date or claim a full refund."

In a statement, the operator added: "French customs officers at Paris du Nord continue to take part in industrial action.

"As a result, the regular pre-departure security checks are taking longer than usual and this is causing delays on departures in Paris.

"We are very sorry for the inconvenience this is causing passengers, and to provide as much flexibility as possible we are offering a free exchange or refund to any passenger who would prefer to postpone their trip."

Customs officers are demanding higher pay and improved working conditions.

They also want more staff which they say will be needed after Brexit to process British travellers who will no longer have EU passports.

The industrial action is due to last until 20 March.