More than two thousand people spent up to fifteen hours trapped aboard four Eurostar trains in the Channel Tunnel last night after freezing temperatures brought the high speed trains to a halt.

Two of the trains were left without lights or heating causing some passengers to suffer panic attacks. Other passengers reported that they had to open emergency exits and doors themselves to escape what they described as awful and horrendous conditions.

Many more passengers were left stranded at stations both sides of the channel as the trains failed to connect.

Freezing temperatures at the French port of Calais were to blame according to officials who said that equipment on the high speed trains failed after moving from the very cold air outside into the much milder air inside the tunnel.

As temperatures have continued to plummet Eurostar have cancelled all train services for tomorrow (Sunday 20th Dec) and the Ferry Port at Calais is also closed.

Lesley Retallack a spokeswoman for Eurostar has said that "Eurostar does not want to cause its passengers any further disruption and will be conducting a program of 'test trains' tomorrow to better understand the problems that have been occurring."

Eurostar are offering £150 compensation per passenger in addition to a refund on their tickets and a free return ticket to travellers who suffered major delays on their train services last night. Any passengers who were scheduled to travel today or tomorrow can exchange their tickets for travel on a later date or have their tickets refunded.

Passengers are advised to check the Eurostar website before embarking on their journeys, ferry passengers due to travel to Calais should check with their ferry operators.

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