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Gillian Charlton, 43, told how her son Ned, 13, and his friends had been in a holding area since arriving at the Kent port at around 7.30pm on Saturday.

The students set off for their ski trip at 9.30am on Saturday morning from Chorley and had been expecting to catch an overnight ferry before continuing their journey by coach to Pila, Aosta Valley, Italy.

Gillian said after arriving at the port they waited for 14 hours before being moved up to passport control and then waiting a further five hours before boarding the ferry.

A coachload of children were left "starving" in the queue after waiting more than 19 hours to board a ferry at Dover (Credit: PA/ Andrew Matthews)

She said while they were queuing the children were only allowed to get off to use a portable toilet and were given one KitKat at midnight.

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Speaking before they boarded the ferry, Gillian, a social care worker, said: “It’s shambolic. I don’t think they have access to running water and can’t get off – only to use the loo.

“They were given a KitKat at midnight. Children are feeling unsafe. They are all starving.”

Gillian Charlton who has told how her son Ned, 13, and his friends had been stuck in Dover for more than 19 hours (Credit: SWNS)

Gillian said her son Ned had been really looking forward to the ski trip and the family had been saving up to make sure he could go.

She said there were hundreds of coaches behind her son’s coach while it was waiting but cars were “flying through”.

Gillian said: “I’m disgusted. My son said there are hundreds of coaches behind them – and I think it’s mainly school kids.

“I sent him off with food for the day and they had breakfast vouchers to get food in France in the morning.

Coaches wait to enter the Port of Dover in Kent (Credit: Andrew Matthews/ PA)

“I’m fuming. The fact that it's mainly school children penned in. They should have restricted the bookings.

“They know how many people turn up at the ports.”

In a statement issued the Port of Dover said: “All of this weekend’s coach traffic is now contained in the port ready for processing through immigration controls.

“Coaches have been processed throughout the day along with tourist cars and freight vehicles.

“The Port of Dover continues to work with the ferry operators and border agencies to get the remaining coach passengers on their way as quickly as possible.

Coachload of Lancashire children left feeling ‘hungry’ and ‘unsafe’ during 19-hour queues at Dover

“We continue to offer our sincere apologies for the prolonged delays.”