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Eurostar has been the sole train operator running services through the English Channel tunnel, but now it has a rival for the first time.

Virgin Trains ' application to share Eurostar's east London train depot has been approved, and services could start running from Manchester.

Eurostar has had a monopoly on services across The Channel since routes began operating in 1994.

Regulator the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) granted access to Virgin Trains to use the Temple Mills site for maintaining and storing trains.

Martin Jones from the ORR said: "With this decision we are backing customer choice and competition in international rail, unlocking up to £700mn in private sector investment and stimulating growth.

"While there is still some way to go before the first new services

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