The high-speed rail operators says repairs are complete and the railway line is open again, but delays will last until the end of the day. Eurostar said passengers should postpone their journey, after the disruption saw services cancelled and delayed in both directions on lines connecting London with Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam.

Eurostar said that there was already knock-on disruption on Wednesday after two people died in separate incidents on the LGV Nord line last Tuesday, but services were further impacted after cable was stolen on the same line. The theft near Lille, which French media said was of around 600 meters of copper cables, caused trains to be rerouted, leading to extended journey times. Further cancellations are not expected on Wednesday now that the railway line is repaired.

Eurostar said that so far, five trains between London and Paris have been cancelled. It added that impacted passengers can change their travel plans for free or request a full refund. "We're very sorry for the impact this is having on our customers," Eurostar said in a statement. "Our teams are working closely with the French authorities and infrastructure teams to manage the situation and restore services safely."

The operator earlier said one track had reopened, allowing some trains to run in both directions until full repairs were completed. Water is being handed out to passengers onboard delayed trains, and stations are also very busy. Hundreds of people are queuing at London's St Pancras International railway station trying to access the service center to rebook onto other trains. Elizabeth Romijn, a yoga teacher from the Netherlands, told PA news agency at St Pancras that the situation was "very chaotic" and people were having to sit on the ground because there were not enough chairs. The 75-year-old was planning to travel home to Brussels after visiting friends in Surrey. (BBC/AFP)