A ferry firm has extended its own form of Brexit deadline.

It has lengthened its period for which passengers can cancel bookings for free during the present withdrawal turmoil.

P&O Ferries has stretched this to April 11, the day before the presently-set date for Britain to leave the European Union.

The previous date for its Brexit Buffer offer was March 28, just before the original EU withdrawal date of March 29.

With the current political strife gripping the UK P&O Ferries says it is trying to ease traveller uncertainty.

Sarah Rosier, the company's director of passenger sales, said, “During this uncertain time we want our passengers to be reassured that should there be any impact on their travel plans they will be covered through our free cancellations offer, so shouldn’t be deterred from planning their summer holidays now.“

The offer, open since January 31, is valid across all ticket types on any of its routes, and is for travel between now and September 30.

It allows crossings to be cancelled free of charge when booked directly via P&O Ferries.

Dover-based P&O has 23 sailings a day to Calais but also from Hull to Rotterdam or Zeebrugge, all in countries staying in the EU.

The Brexit nightmare continues in Westminster with Conservative politicians today having talks with their Labour opponents to try to break the deadock.

Last night MPs voted by a wafer-thin 313 to 312 to make Prime Minister Theresa May ask the EU for a delayed departure date.

Parliament had already overwhelmingly voted three times against her withdrawal deal.

Still, no such deal is in place, which means the UK will crash out on April 12 if there is no extended deadline.