The Government is seeking urgent clarification after France banned UK nationals from travelling by car across the country to homes in other European Union states.

Non-essential travel from the UK to France has been prohibited since December 18 in a bid to limit the spread of the Omicron variant of coronavirus, but several exemptions have been in place.

We are urgently seeking further clarification

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office updated its travel advice for France to state: “The French government have indicated that UK nationals travelling from the UK who are not resident in France will not be permitted to transit France to return to their country of residence unless they are travelling by air.

“We are urgently seeking further clarification from the French government, and in the meantime advise UK nationals returning to other European countries via France to check with their carrier before travelling.”

This will affect those who planned to avoid air travel to return to their homes in the EU after spending Christmas with friends and relatives in the UK.

Eurotunnel Le Shuttle, which operates vehicle-carrying trains between Folkestone and Calais through the Channel Tunnel, said the decision was made by the French government on Tuesday.

It advised passengers to visit the website of the French embassy in the UK, although its travel information has not been updated since December 20.

The UK withdrew from the European Union on January 31 2020, although a transition period was in place until the end of that year.