Paris - Traffic in the fire-damaged Channel Tunnel linking Britain and France resumed on Saturday, as both freight shuttles and passenger trains began running a limited schedule, the French rail network SNCF said.

According to French radio, 12 Eurostar trains linking Paris with London will run in each direction on Saturday. However, the journey will take considerably longer than usual, because the tunnel tube damaged by the fire will not be used until it has been repaired

Traffic in the tunnel connecting France and Britain was halted after a lorry being transported on a shuttle train caught fire late Thursday and burned for more than 16 hours, slightly injuring six people and stranding tens of thousands of travellers. (dpa)