SeaFrance ferry back to normal

SEAFRANCE cross-Channel services between Calais and Dover are beginning to return to normal this morning after a five-day strike by French ferry workers.

An agreement with unions about pay and staff numbers has yet to be reached, but they have voted to suspend the industrial action to allow services to begin again.

The ferry operator is expecting to start services at 9.15 today. The company, which claims to have lost €1.25m as a result of the strike, has "profusely apologised" to passengers whose Easter travel plans were hit.

Most passengers were transferred on to P&O services, but there were long waits at both ports over the weekend.

The strike was called to protest against job cuts - 482 out of 1,580 - which are part of a recovery plan to save the ferry operator from bankruptcy. SeaFrance lost €36m in 2009.