Le Shuttle passengers were stuck for nearly five hours in the Channel Tunnel yesterday after their car-carrying train broke down mid-way.

One woman told the news agency PA that it was ‘terrifying’ as they were evacuated along a service tunnel to a rescue train.

 “It was like a disaster movie. Fire and rescue were there,” she said.

“There was a woman crying in the tunnel, another woman having a panic attack who was travelling alone. They were expecting really old people to walk for a mile down the middle of a tunnel under the sea.”

Videos on social media showed holidaymakers walking through the service tunnel, some with suitcases and dogs.

The breakdown of the 3.50pm Le Shuttle service from Calais to Folkestone led to gridlock in the French port as later services were cancelled.

The operator Eurotunnel later sent out a tweet urging people not to attempt travel to the station in Calais until 6am this morning. Trains appear to be running normally today.