Sawt Falasteen - Channel tunnel strike blocks train travel

The strike at Eurotunnel operator Getlink has blocked Eurostar trains as well as the trains shuttling trucks and cars as the peak holiday travel season gets underway.

Eurostar said its trains were cancelled until further notice, but as of 1345 GMT on its website evening services were still listed as operating.

Trains between London, Amsterdam and Brussels were also affected.

Getlink said French "trade unions rejected a bonus of 1,000 euros end-of-year bonus announced by management and have called for a strike to demand it be tripled."

The announcement of the cancellation of train service sparked dismay in train stations, with people scrambling to change their reservations on their phone.

"So travelling back now and now literally five minutes ago, we've got an email to say that Eurotunnel staff are going on strike and it looks like we can't get a train today," said Nick, 45, as he was trying to return to Britain from the northern French city of Lille.

He said the email he received gave him little hope of making it back to London today.

"They've told us that because it's December, it's going to be really difficult to now get a booking with the limited space."

X.Habash--SF-PST