
These razor-wire fences last night became the new frontier in Europe's bid to tackle the migrant crisis as Greece was told it faced being 'sacrificed' to save the EU.

Austria and the Balkan countries yesterday refused to ease border restrictions that have led to the Greeks being sealed off from the rest of the Continent.

For 19 miles along the boundary with Macedonia, the parallel lines of 8ft fencing keep thousands of migrants trapped in Greece.

Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann yesterday said border controls introduced through Europe were needed to end the 'disorganised chaos'. He warned that Austria would no longer be 'a waiting room for Germany'.

A colossal wall of razor wire and thick fencing now stretches along the Greek-Macedonian border near Idomeni, Greece

A boy stands behind a fence at the refugee camp in Idomeni, Greece, where migrants and refugees wait to be allowed to cross the borders

Special forces open the heavily razor wire covered fence for a cargo train to pass the closed borders from Idomeni, Greece

Refugees, who just arrived, rest in front of makeshift fires in a field in Idomeni, northern Greece after a long journey

More than 27,000 refugees have been stranded in Greece after countries along the migrant route created a bottleneck by following Austria's lead in introducing limits on the number they will let pass.

Troubled Greece is now set to be turned into a massive refugee camp as Brussels officials are today expected to agree to hand over £375million to Athens in return for it providing shelter for 100,000 people.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel last night performed a major U-turn as she told migrants trying to leave Greece they could not choose which European country they move to and should stay there. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said: 'We have come to the time when Greece is likely to be sacrificed'.

He said he had warned Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras: 'It will be your responsibility because you did not do anything on the Turkish-Greek border.'

Despite the restrictions stopping people from leaving Greece, thousands more are arriving each day, with 3,651 landing on its islands on Sunday alone. More than 120,000 people arrived in the first eight weeks of this year – 30 times the number who came in the same period in 2015. A further 9,000 have arrived in Italy.

At least 7,000 migrants are camped on Greece's northern border with Macedonia, which has been closed since hundreds tried to force their way through on Monday.

For 19 miles along the boundary with Macedonia, the parallel lines of 8ft fencing keep thousands of migrants trapped in Greece. Many of the migrants are now stuck at the town of Idomeni

Greece's colossal border wall of razor wire evokes memories of the Berlin Wall (pictured) which separated the German city for four decades

President John F Kennedy looks out over the heavily fortified Berlin wall during a visit to the city in June 1963

Migrants stand next a fire burning shacks, in the southern part of the so-called 'Jungle' migrant camp, as half of the camp is being dismantled, in the French northern port city of Calais

As the flames tore through the light timbers and canvas of the buildings, some migrants have clashed with police, with one woman protesting on the roof of one of camp roof dwellings

Migrants have started to burn down the Jungle camp as the security officers slowly remove the basic structures while police hold back angry protesters

A large group of migrants watch over a pile of burning tarpaulin and wood after setting fire to several camp structures in protest over the demolition of the camp

The camp, which once had its own shops and churches, will be relocated with the migrants receiving purpose-built acccomodation

French riot police try to clear the Jungle camp as residents began to burn down some of the remaining buildings

At least 12 shelters were set ablaze by the refugees yesterday, during disturbances involving left-wing agitators from the UK

The news comes as migrants have started to torch the notorious Jungle camp in protest over the demolition of the site, leading to clashes between angry protesters and police.

Some refugees brandishing metal bars and hurling rocks tried to hijack lorries today as demolition workers supported by riot police carried on smashing up their illegal camp.

'Gangs broke out of the camp overnight, and started threatening drivers in the middle of the road,' said a Calais police spokesman.

'Tear gas and baton charges were used to restore order, and then the gang members were forced back inside the camp.'

At least 12 shelters were set ablaze by the refugees yesterday, during disturbances involving left-wing agitators from the UK.

Three members of the so-called 'No Borders' group were arrested for inciting the migrants to attack the police.

At least one unidentified woman from Britain was among those arrested during a day of violence in the French port town.She was seen in front of a mob of mainly Afghan refugees hurling bricks and stones at officers who fought back with tear gas.

A second woman – a German who identified herself as Ronia – said she had 'no regrets' about 'offering resistance on behalf of the refugees'. As Ronia was handcuffed, and placed inside a police car, she said: 'Everyone in the camp has a right to a home and a future.'

The worst trouble started soon after demolition workers supported by CRS riot police arrived at around midday yesterday.

Hundreds of migrants mass at the Greek-Macedonia border today. Today it emerged it has taken just two months for 131,000 people to reach Europe this year - the same figure took six months to reach in 2015

A family of refugees wait in the no-man's-land area at the border which is guarded by barbed wire fences. Macedonia has closed its border with Greece, causing a bottleneck among those travelling the Balkan route

Two Macedonian soldiers, wearing riot gear, stand guard at the crossing with Greece where there were fierce riots yesterday

Macedonian special forces members were quickly drafted into the area today in case there is further disorder

The Macedonian army began building the second fence last month – 16ft from the first fence, which was put up in November.

Fights yesterday broke out as those camped in muddy fields near the fence scrambled over each other to grab limited supplies of food.

The UN refugee agency said at least 1,500 people had spent the night in the open and tensions were running high.

'We have been waiting for six days,' said Farah, a 32-year-old woman from Baghdad, as the van distributing canned food and long-life milk was mobbed and emptied in minutes. 'The food is not enough – everyone is lying to us and we are desperate,' she added.

Fayez, a 27-year-old computer technician from Syria, added: 'We have to queue for over three hours, for not enough food.

'We've been here four days – we want to go to Sweden but our money is running out.'

The grim weather has already taken a harrowing toll on the travellers' health, with many children heard coughing and crying in the tents. Zineb Hosseini, a Syrian mother of five, said her family was 'freezing', adding: 'And now the wait begins anew.'

Yousef Karajakes, a 30-year-old Syrian pharmacist from the northern city of Aleppo, said he fled the civil war only to find himself in another conflict.

'They told us come, come, come here, come here and now we come and found a second war,' said Mr Karajakes, whose wife and child were killed in a bombing raid.

A burgeoning tent city near the village of Idomeni is growing by the day with up to 10,000 thought to be amassing in the area

A migrant woman stands beside a tent on which graffiti stating 'open the borders' has been scrawled

A woman sits with a baby next to a tiny camp fire in a bid to keep warm at the campsite near Idomeni

A boy looks through the barbed wire as migrants waited to cross the Greece-Macedonia border today

The conditions at the campsite are getting steadily worse. Pictured is a food handout from the back of a van

A man holds a child during the food distribution. UN leaders have expressed concerns about the way Macedonian authorities handled the riots at the border yesterday

European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker meanwhile telephoned Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Monday to express 'unwavering support' for Athens in dealing with the crisis.

Some migrants have been waiting at Idomeni for more than a week, as even when the border is open Macedonia allows in no more than a few hundred a day. Yesterday it took in only 30.

A group of about 150 people who have been told it's their turn to enter Macedonia have spent days in a large, flimsy tent right in front of the crossing.

'I've been at Idomeni for 10 days, and it's the fourth day I've been waiting to cross over,' said Hassan Rasheed, 27, from Iraq. 'Conditions are very bad. There are many ill children who are coughing, and we spent the night in this tent under heavy rain.'

The Idomeni crossing has been closed for nearly 24 hours, following clashes when hundreds of migrants tried to force their way into Macedonia, whose police responded with tear gas and stun grenades.

Nevertheless, today small groups of refugees arrived in a steady flow, mostly on foot after walking up to 18 miles along highways.

One of them was Ahmed Majid, a 26-year-old Iraqi travelling with his wife and two children.

'We have been walking for three kilometers. Police stopped our taxi on the national road, which is why we are going through the fields,' said Majid. 'On the route from Athens police kept stopping us at petrol stations and told us that the border was still shut.'

'We have been waiting for six days,' said Farah, a 32-year-old woman from Baghdad, as the van distributing canned food and long-life milk was mobbed and emptied in minutes. 'The food is not enough – everyone is lying to us and we are desperate,' she added.

A spokesman for the UN refugee agency said: 'The crowded conditions are leading to shortages of food, shelter, water and sanitation.

'Tensions have been building, fuelling violence and playing into the hands of people smugglers.' Greek authorities have set up two additional camps for 12,500 people near the fences and are building a third.

Thousands more refugees are stuck in the main port in Athens and on the Greek islands, with ferry services being cut because of the backlog of people at the Macedonian border.

Mrs Merkel, who has been blamed by many for encouraging migrants to come to Europe, yesterday tried to persuade those who had already come to stay in Greece.

'There are accommodation possibilities in Greece, they should be used by the refugees,' she said.

Mrs Merkel added: 'There is not a right for a refugee to say, 'I want to get asylum in a particular country in the European Union'.'

Migrants find shelter in the passenger terminal of the port of Piraeus, near Athens, after arriving from the Greek islands. These refugees are following the path of those who have already reached Macedonia

A young boy poses for a photograph as he waits for a city bus to take him to one of reception centres after arriving in the port near Athens from the islands

The port has become a makeshift sleeping quarters for those making their way through Greece in a bid to reach Europe

The majority of the 131,000 to have crossed the Mediterranean this year are fleeing the wars in Iraq and Syria

A young woman and two children cover themselves in blankets in a bid to stay warm at the port of Piraeus