Hundreds of migrants took advantage of a strike by ferry workers to target United Kingdom bound lorries stuck at the entrances to the port and the Eurotunnel.
Ukip leader Nigel Farage, who regularly travels by auto through Calais, said: " The United Kingdom has become the number one destination of choice due to the size of our employment black market and the failure to deport 75% of caught illegal immigrants. Both Eurotunnel and Eurostar later suspended services because of the disruption, leaving passengers stranded.
"We are seeing the usual phenomenon - some migrants are trying to climb into lorries stopped in traffic jams on the motorway leading to the tunnel", the police press office in Arras said.
About 3,000 migrants are estimated to be living rough around Calais, waiting for a chance to cross the channel.
Aid workers have reported a "catastrophic" situation, with predictions that some 2,000 more migrants displaced from war-torn countries including Eritrea, Syria and Afghanistan could arrive over the summer.
"That’s why we calling on the government to intervene and work with the United Kingdom and French authorities to stop this escalating threat to Irish truck drivers". The Home Secretary spoke to Bernard Cazeneuve, the French interior minister, last night to underline that sense of cooperation between the two governments.
The Irish Road Haulage Association claimed "it was only a matter of time" before an Irish lorry driver was attacked by migrants, many of whom "were armed with knifes" said IRHA president Verona Murphy.
Eurostar said all trains are returning to their cities of departure and none were stuck in the tunnel.
David Cameron's spokeswoman said: "We are in close touch with the French authorities on the situation there and we are monitoring the impact of the strike on British people". French police have reportedly found 350 migrants hidden in cars and trucks in just four hours, forcing Mr Cameron to confront the problem at Prime Minister's Questions.
"They break locks, cut curtains, do whatever they can to get in".
Freight operators were now counting the cost of spoiled loads and damaged vehicles as their drivers ran the gauntlet of the thousands of migrants camped out in Calais awaiting an opportunity to sneak aboard a lorry, said the FTA.
"We have been looking at whether we can put more personnel and indeed sniffer dog teams on that side of the channel to make a difference", Mr Cameron told parliament on Wednesday.
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