Another P&O Ferries ship has been detained after failing a safety inspection by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).

The ferry operator had earlier said sailings on the Dover to Calais route would remain suspended at least until Good Friday.

The MCA’s decision to ban Spirit of Britain from sailing might mean the restart could be pushed back even further.

P&O’s cross Channel sailings from Dover to Calais were suspended on 17 March when it sacked nearly 800 employees, replacing them with cheaper agency workers.

A spokesman for the MCA said: “The Spirit of Britain has been detained due to surveyors identifying a number of deficiencies which were grounds for detention.

“We have advised P&O to invite us back once they have addressed the issues. We do not know yet when this will be.”

Another P&O ship deployed on the Dover-Calais route, Pride of Kent, remains under detention.

However, P&O Ferries’ Pride of Hull and European Causeway – which was previously detained – have been cleared to operate the Hull-Rotterdam and Larne-Cairnryan routes respectively.