Thousands of stranded lorry drivers told to expect Christmas Day in their cabs

Vehicles begin to move into the departures boarding area as Covid-19 tests are carried out at the Port of Dover (Aaron Chown/PA)

Thousands of international lorry drivers are braced to spend Christmas Day cooped up in their cabs at the English Channel border as slow progress was made to return hauliers home to their loved ones.

British Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced hundreds of soldiers would be deployed to help the repatriation operation in Kent after French coronavirus restrictions introduced following the discovery of a fast-spreading mutant Covid-19 strain in the UK caused severe disruption at the Port of Dover.