Icy weather halts Eurostar service

Icy conditions left over 2000 passengers stranded in the Channel Tunnel connecting Britain and France, causing five trains to break down.

Rail operator Eurostar claimed the trains broke down as they moved from the freezing air of northern France into the warmer temperatures of the tunnel on Friday night.

All services operated by Eurostar were suspended over the weekend.

Some passengers told of how they were left to fend for themselves as trains stopped in the tunnel under the English Channel during the peak travel period.

Passenger Lee Godfrey, who was returning to London from Paris with his family said they had been without power, ran out of water and food, and there was very poor communication from staff.

He went on to report that air-conditioning and power were lost, and had to open the emergency doors themselves.

He added that the evacuation procedure followed was the one they set down themselves, adding that people were very panicky.

Eurostar has claimed all passengers were evacuated from the trains which were travelling from France to the UK.

The company claims not to have had a situation like this in 15 years, as five trains broke down in the tunnel between 8.30pm and 11.30pm on Friday night.

A spokesman for Eurostar said that two thirds of the 2000 passengers had reached London by mid-morning on Saturday, adding that all affected trains have since been removed from the tunnel.

The incident in the tunnel was the worst wince a fire broke out on a Eurotunnel train in September last year, which caused a two-day suspension of services.

The disruption coincided with a strike held by Eurostar’s British rail drivers who began a 48-hour strike on Friday.