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UK advises drivers in Calais to watch out for stowaways amid traffic chaos UK advises drivers in Calais to watch out for stowaways amid traffic chaos
(35 minutes later)
The UK government has advised holidaymakers and lorry drivers travelling through the French port of Calais to be extra vigilant on Tuesday amid reports that migrants were attempting to exploit traffic chaos caused by striking French workers to enter Britain. The UK government has advised holidaymakers and lorry drivers travelling through the French port of Calais to be extra vigilant amid reports that migrants are attempting to exploit traffic chaos caused by striking French workers to enter Britain.
Huge queues of traffic have built up on both sides of the Channel following a strike by French ferry staff, which saw a major road blockaded with burning tyres on Tuesday morning.Huge queues of traffic have built up on both sides of the Channel following a strike by French ferry staff, which saw a major road blockaded with burning tyres on Tuesday morning.
The Foreign Office warned that some of the 3,000 migrants living in Calais are trying to use the disruption to break into the back of the gridlocked vehicles bound for the UK. Footage from Calais has shown migrants running to the open doors of a slow-moving lorry. The Foreign Office warned on Tuesday that some of the 3,000 migrants living in Calais are trying to use the disruption to break into the back of the gridlocked vehicles bound for the UK. Footage from Calais has shown migrants running to the open doors of a slow-moving lorry.
“There are large numbers of illegal migrants in and around Calais, who may seek to enter the UK illegally,” said a Foreign Office spokesman. “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.”“There are large numbers of illegal migrants in and around Calais, who may seek to enter the UK illegally,” said a Foreign Office spokesman. “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.”
There are more than 3,000 men women and children living in squalid conditions in a large camp just outside Calais. Many of them have fled persecution and war in east Africa and the Middle East and are now trying to make their way to the UK. More than 3,000 men women and children live in squalid conditions in a large camp just outside Calais. Many of them have fled persecution and war in east Africa and the Middle East and are now trying to make their way to the UK.
Last week aid workers warned that conditions on the camp were worse than ever with a lack of food and shelter and said migrants were getting more desperate and were prepared to take ever greater risks to get the UK. Last week, aid workers warned that conditions in the camp were worse than ever with a lack of food and shelter and said migrants were getting more desperate and prepared to take ever greater risks to get the UK.
[NEW] Donald Armour, the Freight Transport Association’s international manager, said the FTA was “really, really worried” about someone getting seriously hurt. Donald Armour, the Freight Transport Association’s international manager, said the FTA was “really, really worried” about someone getting seriously hurt.
“There is a lot of fighting between the migrants who all want to be on the best part of the road to get on to the lorries,” he said. “There is a lot of fighting between the migrants who all want to be on the best part of the road to get on to the lorries,” he said. “We haven’t had a fatality, but it’s not good. The situation is definitely worse than it has ever been.”
“We haven’t had a fatality but it’s not good. The situation is definitely worse than it has ever been.” UK lorry driver Chris Cary has been stuck in Calais for seven hours and said he had seen scores of migrants trying to get on to the back of lorries.
UK lorry driver Chris Cary has been stuck in Calais for seven hours and said he had seen scores of migrants trying to get onto the back of lorries. “It is a bit of a mess,” he told Sky News. “I have been here since 3am … I shot off down to the train thinking I would get the train, and I couldn’t get on the train, so I’ve come back to the boat and I’ve been here seven hours so far.
“It is a bit of a mess,” he told Sky News. “I have been here since 3am... I shot off down to the train thinking I would get the train, and I couldn’t get on the train, so I’ve come back to the boat and I’ve been here seven hours so far. “When I was down at the train, [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. This morning was the worst I have ever seen it because there was no police presence.”
“When I was down at the train, (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.
“This morning was the worst I had ever seen it because there was no police presence.” [ENDS]
The strike, which started at at 3.50am on Tuesday, is due to last until 8pm. Employees of the French ferry company MyFerryLink are protesting against plans to sell two of their ferries to rival firm DFDS.The strike, which started at at 3.50am on Tuesday, is due to last until 8pm. Employees of the French ferry company MyFerryLink are protesting against plans to sell two of their ferries to rival firm DFDS.
It has caused severe disruption on both sides of the Channel. In the UK, police implemented Operation Stack, where lorries are parked on the M20 in Kent and non-freight traffic diverted off the motorway, as freight traffic on the roads approaching the Port of Dover increases. It has caused severe disruption on both sides of the Channel. In the UK, police implemented Operation Stack, where lorries are parked on the M20 in Kent and non-freight traffic diverted off the motorway, as freight traffic on the roads approaching the port of Dover increases.
A Guardian investigation found that at least 15 migrants had died trying to get into the UK in 2014 and lorry drivers said the intimidation and violence from migrants had got so bad that many of them were now avoiding the port altogether.A Guardian investigation found that at least 15 migrants had died trying to get into the UK in 2014 and lorry drivers said the intimidation and violence from migrants had got so bad that many of them were now avoiding the port altogether.
Aid workers last week described the situation in the camps as “catastrophic” and said it was only likely to deteriorate in the coming months with hundreds more people were expected to arrive.Aid workers last week described the situation in the camps as “catastrophic” and said it was only likely to deteriorate in the coming months with hundreds more people were expected to arrive.
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