Tunnel fire sparks travel chaos

Six people suffered minor injuries after inhaling smoke from the blaze which started on a lorry on a freight train travelling to Calais.

The fire was detected about four-fifths of the way through the 31 mile-long tunnel, Kent Police said.

Thirty-two people, seven of which were British, were led to safety through a service tunnel as French firefighters tackled the blaze.

The lorry, which is understood to have overturned on the train, was reportedly carrying the chemical phenol.

Eurostar suspended services in both directions while the British and French emergency services dealt with the incident. Kent Fire and Rescue sent seven fire engines and South East Coast Ambulance Service sent four ambulances to help.

Meanwhile, massive queues of cars and lorries built up Calais ferry terminal as drivers scrambled to get back to the UK.

Channel Tunnel operators offered motorists a voucher to switch their journey from the Tunnel to boats to Dover - and thousands took the opportunity.

Only a few dozen Britons remained at the Tunnel terminal, some checking into nearby hotels while a few travelling in camper vans made the most of their transport and bedded down for the night in the car park.

Eurostar told passengers at St Pancras Railway Station it would decide overnight whether to run services on Friday morning.