The first freight train service to travel the 12,000km from China is due to enter the UK through the Channel Tunnel this afternoon.

The service is organised by the Yiwu Timex Industrial Investment Co, and has taken in nine countries in 18 days from its start destination of Yiwu West Railway Station in Zhejiang Province, Eastern China.

It runs via Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany, Belgium, France and the Channel Tunnel - ending in the not so glamorous Barking in Essex.

It's expected to pass through the Channel Tunnel at around 1pm.

Once set up as a regular route, it is expected to run as a weekly service until the market has been assessed.

It's believed the cost of shipping via train is around half the cost of air freight.