France suspends rail freight to UK, cites security issues

French state railway SNCF suspended almost all international freight trains bound for Britain, because of an increasing security problem at Frethun, near Calais, caused by immigrants attempting to get into Britain.

Services heading for Britain have been reduced from 15 a day to five at the most, because French police can only offer security to SNCF for six hours during the night, reports the Guardian.

The French are also said to be preventing goods from other countries bound for Britain from passing through France because of the build-up of freight at Frethun.

British freight operator EWS has asked the government to take urgent action to safeguard the future of British industry trading with Europe through the tunnel.