Supermarket staff have set out on a mercy mission to help stranded drivers and their passengers.

Peter Watson, manager at the Whitfield branch of Tesco, and driver Mark Davies have used one of the store’s home delivery vans to take water and snacks to those stuck because of the delays at the Port of Dover.

The pair this afternoon made their first delivery of 1,000 bottles of water plus snacks, crisps and biscuits.

Mr Watson said: “We had one delivery van spare to help out all we could. We’re going to try and make as many deliveries as we can.”

Meanwhile, Kent Police is using a helicopter from the National Police Air Service to help distribute water to motorists caught in the tailbacks.

The police helicopter has been collecting the water from a Coastguard base in Langdon, near Dover, and transporting it to assist in providing it to queuing motorists.

Some drivers have tweeted that they have been stuck for 11 or 12 hours.

A partial lane closure of the northbound A20 has been brought in so that water can be given to motorists on the Dover-bound carriageway. Lane one remains open.

The water, provided by KCC, is being handed out on the motorway by Coastguard officers and Kent Police officers.