French fishermen have taken five members of a yachting family hostage and have threatened to use them as ‘crab pot bait’ unless fuel tax is cut by 25 per cent.

The sickening attack happened at Gravelines when Yachtmaster Ocean Kevin Spade, 19, from Wisbech, his wife Sheryliese, 32, and their children Madonna-Jade,6, Cyril, 4, and three-month-old Um-Danone, sailed into the drying port in their lift -keel Mudslapper Mk 11, Carpe Diem IV.

A spokesman for the harbour office said: ‘EEt is a sham eet ‘as come to these. Eet will do no good: now no-one will eet crab. We av very good bowling alley behind the…’