Sam Riley

Some passengers trying to leave the UK via Dover say they have been stuck " for hours" due to a lack of open French border Control booths.

Disruption began on Saturday as as the half-term getaway began.

P& O Ferries said delays were " out of their Control " as border controls were operated by French border police.

French authorities have been contacted for comment.

In a statement The Port of Dover said The Situation was likely to remain in place for " A Number of hours".

It said: " The Port is working with its French counterparts to move tourist traffic through The Border Controls as quickly as possible.

" The Port is very busy working with all the Ferry Operators to minimise delays once through The Border Controls. "

BBC presenter Kathryn Stanczyszyn was among travellers stuck in The Port for over six hours due to the delays.

She Said : " We arrived at 06:30 for an 08:30 crossing with DFDS and followed the advice on when to arrive but once there were held for between an hour-and-a-half and two hours at border Control and missed out crossing.

" When we checked in we were told they couldn't get us on a boat until 11:55 and that boat was then delayed by another hour. It's been very stressful and tiring waiting that long. "

On Sunday one passenger tweeted they had missed their 09:15 BST crossing with P& O despite queuing since 06:30 BST, and described having only two border Control booths open as a " total outrage".

Another passenger said they had missed their ferry after waiting almost two hours at border Control .

In addition to delays at border Control , The Port of Dover warned that it had seen tourists arriving without tickets.

It added: " The Port is very busy and is seeing tourists arriving without tickets. Please do not travel to The Port of Dover unless you have a booked ticket for travel.

" Your Ferry Operator will put you on their next available sailings. "

Dover MP Natalie Elphicke called for a review of National Highway's " sticking plaster approach" to traffic issues in the area.

On Twitter She Said : " This Week I called for action to be taken on Dover's roads. Dover is becoming almost as famous for its traffic jams as for its White Cliffs.

" It is concerning that the half-term holiday getaway brings traffic chaos to Dover Once More . "

The Kent Resilience Forum, The Body in charge of traffic management and emergency planning, said more traffic officers had been sent to Dover on Sunday to " actively manage roads in The Town to help get things moving".