Ferry services to and from Calais resume after thousands are held up by blockade

For the past two months there have been sporadic closures of the port at Calais in protest against the closure of MyFerryLink

Ferry services at Calais have resumed following fresh protests by former workers of MyFeryLink. Pictured is a MyFerryLink boat as it docks in Calais in July (Rafael Yaghobzadeh/Getty Images)

Ferry services have resumed to and from the French port of Calais following a fresh protest by former workers of MyFerryLink - but the biggest ferry operator is warning of the risk of continued delays.

Overnight thousands of passengers were held up at Calais, Dover and on ferries mid-Channel because of a blockade of the harbour using a pair of lifeboats. They were eventually cleared after midnight and services resumed.

For the past two months there have been sporadic closures of the port at Calais, as well as the Channel Tunnel entrance, in protest against the closure of MyFerryLink. The protesters have previously blocked the roads to the port and set fire to tyres in the entrance to the tunnel.

The fresh disruption at the premier port for UK travellers comes at one of the busiest times of the year. DFDS Ferries is warning of high volumes of traffic from both Calais and Dunkirk to Dover, and advising passengers to allow 90 minutes for check-in controls.

Meanwhile Britain’s airports will be extremely busy on Bank Holiday Monday, with practically every seat on every plane from the Mediterranean filled. On the key route from Malaga to London, British Airways has no seats at any price until Wednesday, while easyJet is full until Thursday.