PICTURED: Shocking moment migrant armed with hammer ATTACKED lorry driver at Calais riot

The disturbing photograph shows a migrant climbing onto a truck sitting in a queue and brandishing a hammer in the face of its terrified driver. 

It was taken as hundreds of migrants "armed with iron bars and hammers" stormed the port and Channel Tunnel entrances in an "unprecedented" mass attempt to reach Britain. 

Photographs showed armed migrants rioting in the streets as overwhelmed French police desperately attempted to restore order. 

One respected haulage industry body said it was "flabbergasted" by the sheer violence on display, which comes amid a worsening crisis in the lawless French port town. 

Locals in Calais went online on Thursday afternoon to warn people to stay in their homes as the mass riot turned increasingly ugly. 

Squadrons of French riot police, known as the CRS, were dispatched to the scene and had to deploy tear gas and water cannons in an attempt to restore order.

Locals with the Angry Calaisiens group, which is campaigning to restore order in the town, reported that a group of migrants were "running around" outside a supermarket armed with "iron bars, stones and hammers". 

In a series of worrying posts the group, which has more than 33,000 followers, wrote: "WARNING! There are reports from reliable sources that a group of six or seven migrants are running around with iron bars, stones and hammers near Leader Price.

They then added: "A tunnel attack is under way! Be careful if you go in this area, especially avenue Roger Salengro, where groups of 50-60 migrants have been spotted. 

"Also according to reliable sources, a hundred migrants all heading for the channel! Be on your guard! The police are arriving on the scene with their riot equipment!" 

Another post described the "fourth assault" of night with the migrants becoming "increasingly hostile".

When some people questioned the group's version of events they posted a photograph of a migrant attacking a lorry driver with a hammer, which they said had been taken that afternoon. 

Chris Yarsely from the respected Freight Transport Association (FTA) said the violence was "unacceptable". 

He raged: “I am flabbergasted. here were literally thousands of migrants benefitting from the queue of slow moving traffic on the roads around Calais. They were attacking vehicles; breaking the locks of trucks, slashing roofs of the lorries and climbing in the back of them.

“The situation in Calais is totally unacceptable - the area is clearly in crisis. Truck operators and their drivers are in the firing line - sometimes literally. Whatever your views on the plight of migrants and asylum seekers, no-one has a right to threaten, intimidate or physically attack drivers and other innocent bystanders."

A spokeswoman for Eurostar confirmed that its services have not been affected by the ongoing chaos. 

Several videos emerged on social media showing migrants bringing traffic to a standstill in and around the port to Calais. 

Sophie Lesuisse wrote on Facebook: "They are everywhere…the entrance to the tunnel and the highway closed to the city.

Marine Canu replied: "Yes it's heated, I just passed this driving. It's super scary!"

Martial Lamoureux said: "All of this risks ending up in a pool of blood!"

Denis Gressot described the scene as resembling zombie horror series 'The Walking Dead'.

Meanwhile Choubibi Bidoubidou added: "I just found myself in the middle of the full onslaught of hundreds of migrants on the A16. 

"Clashes also with CRS [French riot police] and tear gas. Very, very dangerous - take care." 

Geoffroy Deffrennes ‏tweeted: "A16 closed between Coquelles and Calais. Police everywhere. Migrants are invading the tunnel." Calais

Meanwhile Shane Ware wrote: "Eurotunnel is like a war zone - police firing tear-gas at immigrants."

More than 7,000 migrants are now living in the Jungle camp on the outskirts of Calais, with many becoming involved in violent clashes with police and truckers as they make desperate nightly bids to reach Britain.

Terrified truckers have warned that somebody could soon be killed if more is not done to resolve the situation, with more and more migrants arming themselves out of desperation. 

Britain has paid £7 million towards security in Calais and recently built huge new razorwire fences around the port and Channel Tunnel entrances in a bid to keep migrants out.