• Britain to send more sniffer dogs and security fences to France

• MoD land to be used to ease Operation Stack chaos on M20

• David Cameron warns crisis to last all summer after Cobra meeting

• Now striking ferry workers block port of Calais with burning tyres

• Hundreds more migrants try to storm Channel Tunnel overnight

•

Kent Police send for reinforcements as force feels the strain

• 'It's like trying to swat moles': Calais security fight losing battle

Summary

Another day of the Calais crisis comes to an end however there is finally some light at the end of the tunnel for those affected in Kent.

A partial solution to ease pressure on the M20 is now in place with around a thousand lorries due to be held at Ebbsfleet International Station.

Transport minister Andrew Jones made the announcement earlier at a meeting at Kent's county hall in Maidstone.

Operation Stack has now been in place for 27 of the last 40 days and the M20 remains closed to traffic in parts.

It has also emerged that the Department for Transport is to ask Highways England to look again at possible contraflows on the M20 to keep local traffic moving.

The developments come after the Prime Minister pledged to do all he could to help the county to deal with the consequences of Operation Stack.

Thank you for joining us.

17.24

British troops will be involved in an operation to ease traffic congestion in Kent as the chaos in Calais continues.

Following a Cobra meeting on Friday morning, David Cameron confirmed the Ministry of Defence will use land around Folkestone as a temporary parking space, allowing some relief for the heavily congested motorway.

It is understood plans for the use of the land, owned by the MoD, will see British soldiers working alongside local police, who have so far overseen Operation Stack, in an auxiliary role.

The plans are reportedly being co-ordinated by civilian, rather than military, authorities.

17.21

More dramatic pictures from Calais.

Here, striking employees of the My Ferry Link company burn tyres to block the access to the harbour:

16.59

More on the controversy over council funding.

Alison O'Sullivan, president of the Association of Directors of Children's Services, said:

The situation in Kent is now critical. There has been a gradual increase in numbers of unaccompanied asylum seeking children in the past few months and a spike in July has created an acute and immediate capacity issue for the council.

"These children - some as young as 12 - are extremely vulnerable and in need of our help and support. Our sole focus needs to be on the best interests of the children and ensuring that they are properly supported and cared for.

"The Association is grateful for the immediate help and support given by regional colleagues in response to this situation by providing suitable accommodation to some of the vulnerable children.

"Because of the unprecedented pressure on London and the South East, we are also asking authorities from across the country if they can also help. And in the longer term we are working with various government departments, including the Department for Education and the Home Office, on a sustainable national response."

16.54

This just in from our Chief Reporter Gordon Rayner who's done some digging.

He has spoken to the company whose lorry was pictured at Folkestone with two migrants clinging to its roof and said it has had no contact from the British authorities.

Belgian-based ATL renting has 4,000 lorries and said it could not identify the exact lorry from the pictures, but Marc Maylaers, who works for the firm, said: "It's definitely one of ours or one that used to be ours.

"We have heard nothing from the rental driver or the British police, but what those guys are doing in the picture is really dangerous.

"It is a tarpaulin roof with metal supports, and it's not very stable for two people to be lying on it."

Here is the picture again:

16.42

The Government has been urged to reimburse councils struggling to cope with a surge in children claiming asylum.

Kent County Council has said it faces a £5.5million funding gap after the number of migrants aged under 18 in its care almost doubled in three months.

David Simmonds, deputy chairman of the Local Government Association, said: "Councils are rallying together to help deal with the current emergency situation, but with around a third of migrants aged under 18, the LGA is calling on Government to commit to reimburse the costs in full as the strain on already-stretched children's services budgets risks becoming unsustainable.

"When an unaccompanied child arrives in the UK, it is the council area where they arrive that is responsible for all costs associated with that child up until the age of 25.

"This includes schooling, foster care or children's homes, through to university fees and housing costs, whether they stay within the area or are moved elsewhere in the country.

"In times of particularly high demand, councils work together to ensure that no young person is left with nowhere to go, but the current situation is placing unprecedented pressure on an already overburdened system."

15.13: Dover-to-Calais ferry update

And for those aiming to catch the ferry from Dover to Calais, here is the latest service update from P&O Ferries:

[Dover] Dover port is experiencing high volumes of traffic, please allow extra time for your journey. — P&O Ferries Updates (@POferriesupdate) July 31, 2015

[Dover & Calais] Our full service is operating from both ports within 35 minutes of schedule,we aim to get you on the next available sailing — P&O Ferries Updates (@POferriesupdate) July 31, 2015

15.03: 'Lorries as far as the eye can see'

Just a few miles away on the M20, this is how lorries are still stacked up.

It is currently taking hauliers three hours to reach the Port of Dover and two hours to reach the Eurotunnel in Folkestone.

However, Eurotunnel passenger services are operating to schedule with up to five departures an hour in both directions.

Lorries as far as the eye can see. #OperationStack continues in Kent. More @5_News at 5 pic.twitter.com/eLHfASN9WI — LEYLA HAYES (@leylahayes) July 31, 2015

14.47: 'For God's sake get something done...'

This sign, pictured near the M20 in Kent, sums up the feelings of many residents hit with traffic misery caused by Operation Stack. But we can't help but think someone has toned it down a tad...

A sign near the M20 in Kent directed at Daivd Cameron (Neil Hall/Reuters)

14.30: Wildcat strikes on one of busiest weekends of year

The ferry workers blocking Calais port in their latest wildcat industrial action have struck on what is one of the busiest weekends of the year on French roads, reports Rory Mulholland.

Tailbacks could exceed 600 miles across the country as the French and other Europeans head off on their August holidays, according to Bison Futé, the government-run site that monitors traffic levels.

It advised travellers to postpone their trips until Sunday if possible and warned that the traffic jams were due to peak between this evening and 6pm on Saturday.

The A13 motorway that leads south from the port of Le Havre is due to be particularly badly hit, which will further complicate matters for Britons who opt for another point of entry into France to avoid the chaos in Calais.

The motorway that follows the Rhone valley south of Lyon towards the Mediterranean is also facing massive delays.

Long queues formed on French roads after striking workers blocked access to the harbour with burning tyres (AFP/Getty)

14.19: 'What should we do with the refugees? Create a new country!'

A somewhat, er, unusual idea from Jason Buzi, who proposes buying an island in the Philippines to create a new nation for the thousands of migrants in Calais - and escapees from warzones across the world. You can read his piece here.

Migrants camp in squalid conditions on a site dubbed 'The Jungle II' in Calais (PA)

14.06: 'I'll have no problem wacking them if they try to get in my car'

British motorhome tourists Lee Heath, 47, and his wife Renee Palmer, 44, are among those caught up in the Calais chaos, reports Colin Freeman.

"We have been on holiday in Switzerland and are trying to get back to Dover," said Mr Heath, shortly after a terse exchange with French driver trying to jump the queue by squeezing past him. "We live in Sandwich, just five miles from Dover, so it's not as if we thought we had much further to go."

Ms Palmer added: "The French police just waved us off down this way, it isn't even signposted."

Similar tailbacks caused by strikes in the past have seen groups of migrants try to jump into the backs of vehicles while they are stationary. "I will have no problem wacking them if they try to get in my car," said Mr Heath.

Spent night with 1000 desperate Calais migrants. Nothing but politeness. Spent morning with striking Calais dockers. Threats within 2 mins.. — colin freeman (@colinfreeman99) July 31, 2015

13.56: 'Very difficult to establish migrants' country of origin'

Mr Straw's comments came as Sylvie Bermann, the French Ambassador to the UK, rejected criticism of the country's handling of the migrants attempting to storm the Channel Tunnel.

She told the same programme that the French government wants to deport illegal immigrants who failed to gain asylum, but warned it was “very difficult” to establish the country of origin for many.

13.44: EU urged to reconsider Schengen Agreement'

Jack Straw, the former Home Secretary, has called for the European Union to reconsider the agreement that allows citizens to cross borders with minimal checks in the wake of Calais migration crisis, reports Ben Riley-Smith.

The former frontbencher under Tony Blair said that the Schengen Agreement – which allows citizens of many EU countries to cross borders without passports - "was only ever going to work in good times".

Britain is not part of the Schengen Area after opting out – but its existence, critics argue, allow migrants to more easily travel across the Continent and try to enter the UK illegally at Calais.

“The fundamental problem arises obviously from very, very serious dislocation in countries like Syria, Iraq and the Horn of Africa,” Mr Straw said of the Calais crisis on BBC Radio Four’s World at One.

"There's another issue, although whether the EU is willing to tackle it or not I frankly doubt, which is that the Schengen no borders arrangement, which is that within the Schengen area which is most of continental Europe they don't have any internal borders, was only ever going to work in good times.

"You now see the price that Europe is paying, as well as the United Kingdom is paying for this completely open border arrangement.

"They need to face up to the consequences of Schengen. My understanding is there is provision in Schengen to reinstitute border controls if it is necessary."

13.39: Aerial view of Operation Stack on M20

Back in England, here is aerial footage of lorries queuing for as far as the eye can see on the M20 in Kent this afternoon amid the ongoing Operation Stack.

13.32: Holidaymakers stuck in cars at Calais

This is the scene in Calais this afternoon, where hundreds of motorists are stuck in their vehicles after striking workers at the French port block a major road with burning tyres. Police have set up diversions along other roads, but queues are building and traffic is almost static.

Motorists wait in their cars as striking workers block access to the harbour in Calais (AFP/Getty)

13.17: New fencing to be completed by next weekend

Details have also been provided of measures to help reduce disruption to hauliers, businesses and residents in Kent which were agreed at the Cobra meeting this morning.

New fencing to secure the platform in Coquelles, which is being supplied from the security equipment used at the Nato summit in Newport in September, will be completed by next weekend.

The Prime Minister's announcement today relates to further additional fencing which will be provided "to shore up as much of the perimeter as necessary", the No10 spokeswoman said.

More border force search and dog teams will also be sent in. The spokeswoman said "urgent options" are being pursued to create alternative parking zones to alleviate the pressure in Kent.

13.02: Powers to tackle ayslym system abuse will be fast-tracked

It has been revealed that new powers to tackle illegal working and abuse of the asylum system will be fast-tracked in the wake of the crisis, while Britain and France will put on flights to return migrants from Calais to their home countries.

A Downing Street spokeswoman said: "The Government will continue to collaborate closely with the French Government to reduce the numbers of migrants in Calais and the incentives for them to stay there.

"That includes stronger cooperation on returns, with UK funding and joint flights to countries like Sudan.

"Domestically, new powers to tackle illegal working and abuse of the asylum system will be sped up - the new Immigration Bill will be introduced as soon as Parliament returns."

12.41: 'Go away, we don't want you here'

The Telegraph's Gregory Walton reports from the scene:

The group of around 30 men started fires on both lanes of the national road 216 at around midday.

"The Telegraph was forcibly ejected from the scene despite the presence of eight gendarmerie vans nearby.

"One docker said: 'Go away, we don't want you here, leave. Buy the local paper to find out what is going on.'"

Tyres burn on a main road into Calais this afternoon (AFP/Getty)

12.30: Dramatic images of blazing tyres in Calais

Here are some new images just reaching us of the pile of blazing tyres blocking a main route to the port of Calais this afternoon.

Striking employees of the My Ferry Link company block access to the harbour after setting tyres on fire in Calais (AFP/Getty)

12.18: Ferry workers block port of Calais in wildcat strike

Hundreds of striking French ferry workers have brought more misery to Calais as they burn tyres on the roads leading to the port, as The Telegraph's Rory Mulholland reports:

British holidaymakers and lorry drivers are braced for more travel chaos as French ferry workers block access to the port of Calais in a wildcat strike today.

Around 300 workers burned tyres at several points on the roads leading to the ferry route from Dover. Black smoke was seen from miles away as the workers carried out their latest strike action over job cuts that are due to be made under plans to sell off some of their ferries to rival Danish firm DFDS.

The move was the latest in a series of protests that this summer have crippled the port of Calais and resulted in huge delays for travellers.

The thousands of migrants who live in a shanty town next to the port are also likely to take advantage of the situation by trying to get on board the cars and lorries that will be stuck on the roads as they wait to board ferries.

Earlier this month, striking ferry workers blocked Calais for three consecutive days, causing havoc with cross-Channel sailings and huge tailbacks on roads in the region.

The action earlier in the month also sparked cancellations on the Eurostar passenger train service between France and Britain.

Striking ferry workers block access to the harbour in Calais after setting tyres on fire (PHILIPPE HUGUEN/AFP)

12.11: Security fencing installed at Eurotunnel platforms

Eurotunnel officials have today met with senior experts at the French interior ministry, as the firm confirmed high security fencing around platforms in Calais. Here's the company's statement:

The practical recommendations generated by their experience and expertise to maintain both public safety and the fluidity of the railway terminal will be put into action rapidly.

"At the same time, the high security fencing around the platforms installed by Eurotunnel has become operational today. The fence supplied by the British government will be completed in the coming days.

"Finally, measures have been taken for truck traffic: night services will from now on be provided on protected shuttles and from the platforms in the centre of the terminal.

"Passengers who are travelling through the Coquelles terminal can travel in confidence. They have been transported without delay throughout the day, a peak holiday getaway period, and have had the best welcome and customer service possible during their journey."

12.02: Video of PM's statement

Number 10 has posted a video on Twitter of the Prime Minister, who has assembled a team of senior ministers to lead the response to the escalating crisis, making a statement after chairing the Cobra meeting.

PM on #Calais: The situation is not acceptable & it's this government's priority to deal with it in every way we can https://t.co/A8GiJ18BaO — UK Prime Minister (@Number10gov) July 31, 2015

11.47: New measures just a 'sticking plaster'

Somewhat predictably, the new measures announced by Mr Cameron have been described as a "sticking plaster" by the Road Haulage Association. Richard Burnett, chief executive, told BBC News:

Quite simply the measures I've just heard from David Cameron aren't enough, they are just sticking plasters in terms of trying to resolve this problem.

"The threats these hauliers are facing every day is unacceptable. The impact financially on the haulage industry and the broader UK economy is unbelievable.

"Until we get the right measures in place and until we actually contain the situation in Calais with the migrants, this situation is a crisis and it's out of control. I really don't think these measures are enough right now."

It earlier warned that the traffic jams are costing British businesses £250million a day in lost trade - and that it believes the extra costs would "feed through to consumers".

11.31: What is Operation Stack and how does it work?

Despite David Cameron announcing new measures to tackle the M20 traffic chaos (see 10.47 post), Operation Stack threatens to bring continuing misery for Kent and beyond.

But how much do you know about the traffic-management tactic? How does it work, what does it cost, and will it affect your holiday? We answer all of those questions - and more - here.

Some lorry drivers have endured 18-hour waits on the M20 in Kent (PA)

11.13: Britain to work 'hand in glove' with French

Here's more from Mr Cameron, who said Britain would work "hand in glove" with the French to tackle the problem:

The situation is not acceptable and it is absolutely this government's priority to deal with it in every way we can.

"We have got people trying to illegally enter our country and here in Britain we have got lorry drivers and holidaymakers facing potential delays.

"We are going to take action right across the board starting with helping the French on their side of the border. We are going to put in more fencing, more resources, more sniffer dog teams, more assistance in any way we can in terms of resources.

"I'll be speaking with President Hollande later today. I want to thank him for the extra French police resources that have been put in that have had some effect but we are keen to offer more and work hand in glove with them to reduce pressure on that side of the border.

"Here in Kent we need to do more to help lorry drivers and holidaymakers. We are going to do everything we can to reduce the disruption, including using MoD land, and we will be looking at other options we can take as well."

11.06: Migrants slice way out of lorry in West Midlands

This is the moment a group of suspected migrants were caught on camera fleeing a lorry in the West Midlands - after slicing their way out of the HGV.

A suspected migrant escaping from a lorry in West Midlands (ITN / GETTY)

The video was captured on an industrial estate in Stourbridge and shows several migrants escaping from the back of the stationary lorry.

10.55: PM 'rules nothing out in taking action' in Calais crisis

Speaking in Downing St after chairing a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee this morning, David Cameron said the situation was "unacceptable" and that he will be speaking to French president Francois Hollande later today. He said:

This is going to be a difficult issue right across the summer. I will have a team of senior ministers who will be working to deal with it, and we rule nothing out in taking action to deal with this very serious problem.

"We are absolutely on it. We know it needs more work."

10.47: David Cameron announcement

BREAKING: Extra sniffer dogs and fencing will be sent to France and Ministry of Defence land will be used to ease congestion to try to help deal with the Calais migrant crisis, Prime Minister David Cameron has said.

Migrants by a barbed wire fence on the main access route to the ferry harbour terminal in Calais (Reuters)

10.44: Twitter take on Calais crisis

As the Calais crisis continues, one Twitter user has a humorous take on the Government's response...

As the Calais crisis worsens the British government have now taken the drastic step of bricking up the tunnels! pic.twitter.com/hnJCq22zOW — Joe McCrea (@JoeMcCreaSmith) July 31, 2015

10.33: Migrants break through French police line

Here's the latest footage from Calais, where police fought a losing battle as they attempted to block migrants from gaining access to the Channel Tunnel:

10.22: 'Ship lorries from Port of Ramsgate'

Nigel Farage has called on the Government to start shipping lorries out from other ports to mitigate the traffic problems building up at Calais, reports The Telegraph's Ben Riley-Smith.

It comes with Number 10 considering using the Army to help alleviate major queues at the border by using Ministry of Defence land in Kent as temporary car parks.

The calls from the UK Independence Party leader will up the pressure on the Government as Mr Cameron chairs a Cobra meeting on the crisis after returning from a diplomatic tour of Asia.

"Rather than parking lorries in Ramsgate, we must begin shipping lorries via the Port of Ramsgate," Mr Farage said in a statement issued by the party on Friday. "The chaos in Calais is now a national economic problem of great urgency that requires a new approach."

Christopher Wells, Ukip's leader of Thanet District Council, said: "Here in Thanet we're only interested in moving lorries, not parking lorries.

"If the government prefer to park lorries then they can do it elsewhere but we would be delighted to assist in moving the static Operation Stack through Ramsgate to the continent."

10.10: Latest travel news for motorists

Here's the latest from Kent Highways on the travel situation in the county as of 10am:

09.57: Migrants cling to roof of lorry in Folkestone

Extraordinary pictures here of two migrants clinging to a lorry as it left the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone early this morning after arriving from Calais.

The pair clung onto the roof of the HGV as it left the site. It is not yet known if they have been stopped by the authorities.

Two migrants cling to the roof of a freight truck as it leaves the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone (Peter Macdiarmid/Getty)

09.43: 'Why we must send the Army to Calais'

He made headlines earlier this week when he said Gurkha soldiers should be deployed to help guard Britain's borders.

And now Kevin Hurley, the police and crime commissioner for Surrey, has written for The Telegraph elaborating his position:

These operations take out virtually half of Surrey’s 999 response capability and can tie up our nine prisoner vans for hours, as well the helicopter and all the dogs we can spare, to say nothing of jamming up the county’s cells.

"The migrants have become a serious threat to our residents: we can’t respond to their needs or patrol adequately."

09.28: David Cameron back at Downing Street

David Cameron, the Prime Minister, has arrived back at Downing Street before chairing an emergency Cobra meeting to discuss the growing Calais migrant crisis this morning.

He returned to Britain in the early hours after a four-day tour of south-east Asia - but his distance had not stopped him from commenting on the crisis, blaming the problems in Calais on a "swarm" of people wanting to reach Britain.

Holding a pair of glasses and folder, Mr Cameron looked tired from his journey and wore a casual polo shirt as he was pictured entering Number 10.

David Cameron returns to Downing Street on Friday morning (Lee Thomas)

09.16: Other ways to get to France

Disruption in Calais might be continuing, but British tourists seeking to reach France for their summer holiday should not despair – there are alternative ways to cross the Channel.

Telegraph writer Chris Leadbeater outlines the other cross-Channel services available to Britons.

Alternatives to the Dover-Calais route

And these are your options if you have booked to travel across the Channel by ferry or Eurostar - including advice on cancelling or postponing your trip.

09.04: 'These children are very traumatised, they don't speak English'

Another night of drama in Calais has increased fears the UK's already under-pressure social services will be pushed to breaking point as the number of asylum seekers increases.

Paul Carter, leader of Kent County Council, has met officials from the Home Office to highlight the impact of hundreds of minors arriving unaccompanied at the port of Dover.

The number of young migrants in the local authority's care has almost doubled to 605 in the last three months, leaving it with a multimillion-pound funding gap.

Bernie Gibson, managing director of Compass Fostering, said social services including those in Kent were struggling to cope with the numbers of children arriving as asylum seekers. She told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme:

We have been working with young people that have come from areas like Morocco, Eritrea. We have seen cases of these young people taking long journeys, taking lengthy crossings and coming under lorries as a result of traumatic experiences in their country of origin.

"We are often approached by local authorities like Kent to see if we have a safe home, a safe place, so these young people can reflect about their experiences and just receive the basic care children should receive.

"The challenge to find foster carers nationally for Compass is challenging anyway but imagine on top of that these children are very traumatised, they don't speak English. Often they come from different cultural experiences. But these people do step forward and they can step forward."

08.53: Channel Tunnel inspection complete

But it's better news for Eurotunnel passengers:

Update: Tunnel inspection complete, full service will resume - our Passenger service currently has a 60 min wait from the UK & France. ^LE — Eurotunnel LeShuttle (@LeShuttle) July 31, 2015

08.51: Nine-hour Operation Stack delays this morning

Kent Police have given this update on Operation Stack this morning - and says freight waiting times are six hours for Dover and nine hours for the Eurotunnel at Folkestone:

#OpStack 7.30am: #M20 J8-11 c/b remains closed. J9-8 L/b is open. Freight waiting times: 6 hrs for Dover, 9 hrs for Eurotunnel. #alert — Kent Police (UK) (@kent_police) July 31, 2015

08.46: Latest pictures from Calais

Here are the latest pictures reaching us from Calais, showing how French police in vans escorted hundreds of migrants - including children - away from the Eurotunnel perimeter fence in the early hours of this morning.

Gendarmes driving vans escort migrants out of the vicinity of the Eurotunnel terminal

Migrants, including young children, are moved away from the perimeter fence of the Eurotunnel site (PA)

08.39: 'They will try and try and try again until they get in'

David Cameron should personally meet Francois Hollande and Jean-Claude Juncker, the European Commission President, to solve the Calais migrant crisis, the head of the Commons Home Affairs Committee said, Ben Riley-Smith reports.

Keith Vaz, the Labour MP, told BBC Radio Four's Today Programme that the crisis "will get worse" unless further action is taken as a matter of urgency.

He called on the French authorities to deport those migrants attempting to storm the Channel Tunnel back to their countries of origin rather than simply releasing them after arrest in France.

"They will try and try and try again until they get in," Mr Vaz warned as he said nations like France and Italy were seen by migrants arriving from Africa as "transition" countries on the way to Britain.

He warned that it was not Britain's benefits systems, but the "perception that they can work illegally" that was attracting migrants to risk their lives to enter the country.

Migrants in a stand-off with French police near the Eurotunnel terminal in Calais, on Thursday night (Getty)

08.33: Thousand migrants try to storm tunnel overnight

French authorities faced more than 1,000 attempts by migrants camped out in the port of Calais to reach the Channel Tunnel overnight, according to police sources.

Around 30 people are understood to have been arrested since Thursday night as officers continued to clash with migrants desperate to reach Britain.

Another police source told AFP there had been "1,400 incursions" between 10pm local time on Thursday and 7am today.

Migrants break through a police line in Calais on Thursday night (APTN)

While being unable to confirm the figures, a Eurotunnel spokesman said there had been "much less disruption" since an extra 120 riot police poured into Calais this week to bolster the 300-strong police contingent already stationed in the city.

At least four coaches of riot police were on Friday morning guarding the entrance to the tunnel, where the situation was calm.

A police source said that, while the reinforcements had helped, "the pressure of the migrants is still there" and the "situation remains difficult to deal with."

08.25: Tunnel Inspection leads to delays

After earlier getting the situation quickly under control, Eurotunnel is now warning of delays because of a Channel Tunnel inspection.

Due to a tunnel inspection there will be disruption to our timetable. Delays expected, more info will follow. ^ST — Eurotunnel LeShuttle (@LeShuttle) July 31, 2015

08.21: 'Disco Boy' keeps truckers amusesd with M20 rave

It's not all bad news for truckers stuck in 18-hour jams... Lorry drivers left languishing in queues caused by the cross-Channel chaos had some light relief brought to them - by a half-naked, one-man mobile disco.

Entertainer and prankster Lee Marshall, 30, joined truckers on the M20 near Folkestone, Kent. Stripped to a pair of women's running shorts and wearing sunglasses and a winter hat, Mr Marshall - aka DiscoBoy - blared songs from a speaker on a trolley.

He got stranded lorry drivers clapping and dancing outside their vehicles as his portable disco, complete with flashing lights, created a party atmosphere in the Roundhill Tunnels.

He urged other drivers to "give me a horn, give me a horn" and to "put your hands up", before adding: "When I say Operation, you say Stack."

Disco Boy keeps drivers entertained on the M20 (Lee Marshall/PA Wire)

Some passing motorists beeped their horns in appreciation of the stunt, encouraged by a waving Mr Marshall, who had #DiscoBoy scrawled on his chest.

Mr Marshall, from Canterbury, said: "There were some people were a bit bemused by it all. But once they realised I wasn't a threat a couple got out and started dancing and doing some video.

"I've been doing these types of discos for a while. I've done them at shopping centres, outside police stations and even Downing Street.

"Some people on my Facebook page suggested I go down to Operation Stack. I hadn't done one for a while, so I thought why not."

And his impromptu raves seem to have been going down well with motorists:

We should send #DiscoBoy to entertain the immigrants at #Calais they'd have such a good time raving they wouldn't want to leave France! — Steve Cook (@Djsecuritysteve) July 30, 2015

Gave #discoboy a toot on sandyhurst lane having it! Keep up the good work lol — James (@j4mfs) July 30, 2015

You can watch his antics here:

Video: Disco Boy in the Roundhill Tunnels, Kent

08.09: Warning of shortages as food held up in France

Freight bosses have warned shoppers face potential shortages of oranges, lemons and other imported fruit and vegetables as the chaos in Calais continues, The Telegraph's Consumer Affairs Editor Dan Hyde reports.

Hold-ups at the French port are delaying deliveries from Spain and Portugal, according to the Freight Transport Association. Some haulage companies have stopped transport goods due to "intimidation" of drivers by migrants cutting through bolts to enter lorries.

Although supermarkets have begun exploring other entry points, such as ships going from Le Havre to Portsmouth, the organisation warned the shelves could look sparse in some stores this weekend. In some cases, food is going off during long journeys and may need to be disposed.

Don Armour, its manager of international affairs at the Freight Transport Association, said: "Certainly some sorts of products coming in from Spain and Portugal - oranges, that sort of thing - maybe affected by the delays and trouble in Calais.

"There may be temporary shortages for a small amount of time, perhaps over the weekend, but most people will still be able to find the stock they want because companies will find alternative routes to get good in.

"It might be that Sainsbury's and Morrisons and the other big stores start air-freighting in their produce, and that could mean higher costs."

Any batch of pharmaceuticals on a lorry that has been accessed during transit - by migrants trying to cross the boarder, for instance - must be destroyed for safety reasons. Some medicines with a limited shelf life are going bad as they sit in queues of traffic.

Estimates suggest the traffic jams are costing British businesses £250million a day in lost trade.

07.58: Haulier urges freight stoppage 'despite anarchy in shops'

A haulier has urged all lorry companies to join him in stopping cross-Channel freight to demand a solution to the Calais migrant crisis.

Peter Harding, who runs a road haulage firm out of Haverford West, West Wales, said 90 per cent of his firm's business involved going back and forth to France.

But he said the cost of insurance claims and the risk to drivers meant he had no choice but to stop sending his trucks to the Channel link. Mr Harding called for all hauliers to match his move for two or three days to send a message the current situation was not acceptable.

He admitted the move would cause "anarchy" in the shops as fresh goods quickly disappeared from the shelves, but he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme:

Two weeks ago we had a box trailer, which is quite safe you would think with a padlock on the back and also a container bolt seal, and both were cut through.

"These (goods) are then rejected at the supermarket and therefore you have a big insurance claim. It's just not right, it's breaking and entering. All the police do is let them go and they do it to the next one and the next one.

"If everybody stopped, because of how the country runs time sensitive goods and everything else, there would be anarchy in the shops and that's what needs to happen to make these governments - not just our Government but the French government - do something seriously about the situation for everybody.

"The reason this has hit the headlines in the last week or so is because of holiday-makers being caught up in it. These drivers are having to put up with great stresses through the daily normal job and then this at night.

"We can do Paris three times a week, that means going backwards and forwards across the Channel for each driver six times a week."

French police secure the road near a British lorry as HGVs queue in Calais (Reuters)

07.46: 'If France will not resolve Calais crisis, Britain must'

Britain might have to "step up its operations on French soil" to tackle the Calais crisis, according to The Telegraph's view:

"Sadly, it is increasingly obvious that France is either unable or unwilling to do what is necessary. That being so, it may well be time for Britain to step up its operations on French soil, if necessary by deploying British personnel to create a proper cordon around key transit routes.

"That would inevitably place a cost on British taxpayers, but it is a cost that France should help meet, since it arises from the failure of French state."

07.40: Operation Stack - what is it?

We've heard a lot about Operation Stack in recent weeks, but what exactly is it? This handy box explains all...

07.29: Drivers warned amid 18-hour delays

The Ministry of Defence plan to ease the gridlock on Britain's roads is in response to the chaos caused by Operation Stack.

Drivers heading to the continent this weekend have been warned to expect long delays as knock-on disruption continues. Gridlock on the M20 triggered wider traffic trouble throughout Kent.

Kent County Council said the average queuing time was 18 hours yesterday - as staff gave out hundreds of meals and 1,500 bottles of water to stranded drivers.

Trucks sit stationary on the side of the M20 motorway as part of Operation Stack (Bloomberg)

07.21: How Britain deals with migrants from Calais

Here's a quick reminder of what happens to migrants who arrive in Britain from Calais:

07.12: Hundreds more try to reach Chunnel

The crisis in Calais has spiked in intensity in the past few days, with thousands of migrants desperate to reach Britain sneaking into the tunnel.

Last night, police in northern France blocked at least 200 people from reaching the Channel Tunnel.

In England yesterday, police rounded up a dozen suspected illegal immigrants on the M20 in Ashford after they made it to the other side of the Channel.

Two suspected illegal immigrants found in the back of a lorry in Ashford, Kent (London News Pictures)

07.00: More Eurotunnel disruption

After the latest disorder overnight, Eurotunnel said its French platform was unavailable due to "security reasons".

A spokesman said: "Due to overnight activity around our French Terminal, timetables are disrupted from both directions."

But Eurotunnel now says its passenger service is back up and running with five departures an hour.

Our Passenger service is currently operating to schedule with up to 5 departures per hour in both directions. http://t.co/QQx7fkHUiu ^ST — Eurotunnel LeShuttle (@LeShuttle) July 31, 2015

From Folkestone our A20 entrance is closed. To enter our terminal please rejoin the M20 at J11 & exit at J11a: http://t.co/mNbZh2SBHY ^ST — Eurotunnel LeShuttle (@LeShuttle) July 31, 2015

06.50: Migrants in fourth night of disorder

As the situation rumbled into a fourth night of disorder, hundreds migrants roared as they steamed through police lines at a petrol station near the terminal in Calais to gain access to the tunnel.

French gendarmes and riot police at first were overwhelmed by the numbers coming at them, but were able to gain control of the situation.

Officers, some with their batons drawn, formed a cordon backed up by riot vans amid another night of cat and mouse games.

But they could not prevent the men, women and children - mainly from East African and Arab countries - from bringing the road out of the tunnel in Coquelles to a standstill.

They watched as three or four teenage migrants climbed over a fence, but later came back when they realised they had hit a dead end.

Here are the latest pictures from Calais overnight:

Migrants in Calais climbs over a fence to try to catch a train to reach England (EPA)

Migrants wait along the fence in Calais as they try to catch a train to reach England (EPA)

A migrant walks along the railway in Calais to try to catch a train to reach England (EPA)

06.40: Army ready to act over crisis

The Ministry of Defence is in the early stages of developing plans to help ease traffic congestion in the Kent area as the crisis shows no sign of abating.

It would be the first time the British Armed Forces have got involved in the crisis in order to keep the roads clear ahead of a weekend of chaos.

An MoD source said the measures could involve using land owned by the department around Folkestone as temporary lorry parks to free-up space on the M20 - where HGVs are being parked as part of Operation Stack.

The source said a decision on the plans would be "taken in due course", adding they were led by the civilian authorities rather than military.

Miles of lorries on the M20 as part of Operation Stack (PA)

06.30: PM to host Cobra talks

Good morning and welcome to our liveblog on the ongoing migrant crisis at Calais as the Prime Minister prepares to today head a meeting of the Government's emergency Cobra committee.

David Cameron, who has returned to the UK after a four-day tour of south-east Asia, will head to Westminster to chair the high-level meeting this morning.

It is understood he will ask ministers and officials to see if more can be done to address the situation at the port and the Channel Tunnel railhead at Coquelles.

The meeting comes after Mr Cameron blamed the chaos at Calais on a "swarm" of migrants crossing the Mediterranean and travelling through Europe.