Folkestone: Lightning Causes Eurostar Disruption

Hundreds of Eurostar passengers were delayed last night after a lightning strike close to the Channel Tunnel entrance.

Lightning triggered a fire at a building close to the Kent entrance to the tunnel, last night, causing delays to Eurostar services. There was no damage to the track.

Pierre Delalande from Eurostar said four trains in and out of England were affected, but that three of those had now reached their destination of London, while one was forced to turn back to the capital.

Trains do not run during the night and a full service is expected to resume this morning.

Mr Delalande said: "Four trains were affected - two from Paris to London, one from Brussels to London and one from London to Paris.

"The only one that didn't make it was London to Paris because of a delay after the lightning, so went back to London.''

Customers were offered taxis and hotels where necessary, he added.