Eurostar, operator of the sleek speedy trains that usually make rail travel between the UK and the continent a breeze, announced the cancellation of all its services to and from its hub in the French capital.

The cascade of transportation woes hit morning rush-hour train services before spreading to the road network, with Paris police closing the A1 highway that feeds into the north of the city, as well as sections of the capital’s always-busy ring road.

Eurostar trains to London and all trains heading to northern France have been brought to a halt following the discovery of an unexploded bomb dating back to World War II near the tracks

This Paris regional train was parked on the tracks in the suburb of Saint-Denis as services ground to a halt An unexploded World War Two bomb found near Gare du Nord station in Paris was defused on Friday after trains to and from the station - one of Europe's biggest - were cancelled.

The discovery of the unexploded bomb, which weighed more than 1,000 pounds, near one of France’s largest trains stations caused travel disruptions in Paris and other parts of Europe.