Honda has suspended work at its car plant in Swindon due a shortage of parts caused by transport disruption.

Manufacturing at the plant, which makes the Civic model, has been stopped today with the company saying it will restart as soon as possible.

A company statement said: "The situation is currently being monitored with a view to restart production as soon as possible."

The company said it operates on a "just in time" system designed to avoid stockpiling parts, buy delays at the UK's freight ports has left them without the necessary parts to continue production.

The Swindon plant, which built more than 100,000 vehicles last year, is scheduled to shut for good in 2021.

British firms stocking up on imported goods ahead of the end of the Brexit transition period on at the end of the year are believed to be partly behind the congestion at UK ports.

A letter from bodies including the UK Major Ports Group, Logistics UK and UK Chamber of Shopping have written to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps about the problem.

It said: "Although we are hopeful the current peak of port congestion has passed, high volumes remain and could persist for some months."