Migrant 'Invasion' Halts Channel Tunnel Trains

Passengers are facing three-hour Eurotunnel delays after a "massive invasion" of over 100 migrants overnight.

Police said the "large and co-ordinated" group stormed the Calais terminal just before midnight and services were immediately shut for safety reasons.

Eurotunnel was forced to suspend all train services between Folkestone and Calais. Services resumed at 10am but there are three hour delays for Calais passengers, and two and a half hour delays for UK passengers.

Eurostar services were also affected and those travelling were advised to check before setting off.

A spokesman for Eurotunnel said: "It's a massive invasion and intrusion by a very large and co-ordinated group of migrants.

"They are being gathered up by the police authorities."

He added: "It's clearly an organised attack when it comes in such a large number, there are over 100 in this one group.

"They arrived together an in a well-organised manner, broke through the fences and all clearly knew where they were going."

Le Shuttle passenger and freight services have been suspended "until further notice" because of "safety reasons" - but there are no trains stopped in the tunnel.

British authorities worked with French police to clear the tracks.

"There's nobody (stuck) on trains, there are a small number of passengers affected and customers have gone to the ferry port to continue their journeys," the spokesman said.

Just days ago, a migrant was found dead near the tracks of the Channel Tunnel, after apparently trying to cross from France to the UK.

The Eritrean man, who was in his 20s, was thought to have been hit by a freight train.

Eurotunnel has said it "deplored" the accident, and a spokesman added: "It's another very regrettable incident which serves to highlight the risks associated with crossing the Channel illegally."

He is the 13th migrant to die trying to get to Britain from France since late June - and the second person to die along the route in 24 hours.

Security surrounding the terminals in Calais has been ramped up in recent months - with extra fences erected, and more guards deployed to police the border.

At the peak of the crisis during the summer, there were about 2,000 attempts to board lorries or trains illegally per night - but this number has since fallen.