French blockade sparks ferry delays

6:49pm Friday 3rd October 2008

Thousands of ferry passengers faced delays because of a blockade of Calais by French fishermen.

P&O Ferries said its vessel Pride of Calais, with 1,400 passengers on board, was held in port for about two hours because of the unexpected action.

European Seaway, a freight ship, was held up for a similar length of time.

Two other ferries containing a total of 1,700 people, the Pride of Burgundy and the Pride of Dover, had to wait in the Channel until the fishermen's action ended, about two hours after it began.

P&O Ferries' spokeswoman Michelle Ulyatt said: "This was not an ideal situation, bearing in mind we are taking extra traffic at the moment because of the recent fire in the Channel Tunnel."