Extra 800 troops sent to help clear Kent lorry backlog
A further 800 military personnel have been sent to Kent to help thousands of lorry drivers waiting to cross into France on Christmas Day.
Some 1,100 troops have been deployed as part of the operation at the English Channel border after French Covid-19 restrictions caused severe disruption at the Port of Dover.
Thousands of hauliers are now spending Christmas Day in their cabs despite efforts to clear the backlog of lorries. Army personnel will be testing drivers for coronavirus and distributing food and water, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said on Friday that more than 10,000 tests had been carried out, of which 24 came back positive for the virus.
France closed its border last Sunday following the discovery of a fast-spreadi...