Christmas could be ruined for thousands of families as problems at the Port of Felixstowe are compounded by a variety of issues.

Experts have expressed concerns that a logjam, staff shortages, delivery problems, booking issues at the port are compounding issues faced by consumers.

Import delays are a factor and Felixstowe has had a surge in container traffic, not helped by 11,000 containers of Government-ordered PPE clogging up the port as retailers prepare for Christmas and the end of the Brexit transition period on December 31.

That has already had an effect locally with one Suffolk landlady telling Nub News how heaters she had ordered were delayed by hold-ups at the port and the company offered her a refund as the ship carrying her order was stuck off the coast of Felixstowe waiting for a berth.

Anna Durance, of the Wheatsheaf in Tattingtsone, was sent an email by the suppliers telling her the reason her order was delayed was down to:

'The delay is due to the container ships which were due in early this week carrying our goods being refused entry into the Port of Felixstowe. We are informed that this is due to staff shortages and changes to working practices at Felixstowe resulting from Covid-19. As a result the Port are facing long backlogs and rescheduling the arrival of container ships.'

Hutchison Ports, which owned the Port of Felixstowe insisted things were getting back to normal but many courses, hauliers and retailers are sceptical.

Ms Durance said: "It impacts so many. Shops are having a tough enough time as it is, and now they can't sell their product, as it's still floating in the North Sea.

"We can't all get the economy moving if what we want to buy is stuck behind a great wall of PPE on the East Coast of Suffolk.

"Felixstowe Dock is a vital employer to the area. Companies shall simply go elsewhere, and jobs will without doubt be lost.

"There is much worse to come when the new Brexit IT system is rolled out. If they don't get on top of this now, it is all going to end up an unmitigated disaster."

While Covid-19 is being blamed, the increase in demand, the end of the transition period and the logistical problems of the port are all adding to the perfect storm, which will not be helped if the UK fails to secure trade deal with the EU.

The port has re-employed for chief executive Chris Lewis, while former trade minister Chris Grayling is being paid £100,000 as a consultant.

"I realise these really are unprecedented times, but I am getting the distinct impression that Covid-19 is simply exasperating an already existing problem, said Miss Durance. "Stockpiling for the impending Brexit will have already put a rather large spanner in the works, and some mismanaged booking system but people are being paid a lot of money to sort this debacle out, whilst everyone else has to suffer."

Dino Rocos, who used to run John Lewis's logistics operation, told a national newspaper that couriers could be forced to cap the number of orders they can handle.

He predicted shoppers wanting items by Christmas could have to order up to 10 days in advance – double the norm.

Mr Rocos, who now runs the Future Retail Logistics consultancy, said: "You simply can't squeeze any more through the operations than they can cope with."

Meanwhile, delivery firms are facing a shortage of drivers – despite launching a recruitment blitz in recent months.

David Jinks, of delivery price comparison website Parcelhero, said: "We've seen the Mount Everest of peaks in demand for online orders this year.

"All you need is bad weather or something else to be the straw that breaks the camel's back. If I wanted to place an order for Christmas I would do so very soon."

"If you are planning on getting a Lego set for Christmas, do not leave it until December."

Lego's issues are due to booming sales of its products, in strong demand since the start of the first lockdown. The firm said its factories are operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to try to keep up.

Other popular toys that could be in short supply include Barbie and board games such as Monopoly.

Online fashion giant ASOS has also signalled a possible shortage of sportswear after a spike in demand during the lockdown, while supplies of popular tech like Xbox consoles could be hit.

Gary Grant, founder of The Entertainer, Britain's biggest toy chain, confirmed Lego had slashed his November delivery to 40% of what was ordered.

He said: "I would be surprised if I get more than that in December. Lego is having a problem in terms of supply.

"If you are planning on getting a Lego set for Christmas, do not leave it until December."

Lego's issues are due to booming sales of its products, in strong demand since the start of the first lockdown. The firm said its factories are operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to try to keep up.

Other popular toys that could be in short supply include Barbie and board games such as Monopoly.

Mr Grant said it was the worst threat to supplies across so many different products in his more than 40-year career in the toy industry.

Online fashion giant ASOS has also signalled a possible shortage of sportswear after a spike in demand during the lockdown, while supplies of popular tech like Xbox consoles could be hit.

Import delays are a factor and Felixstowe has had a surge in container traffic as retailers prepare for Christmas and the end of the Brexit transition period on December 31.

To make matters worse, 11,000 containers of Government-ordered PPE are clogging up the Suffolk port.

John Roberts, boss of online electricals firm AO.com, warned it could result in product shortages, saying: "We'll have a much better picture at the end of November."

Families are also facing a battle to bag supermarket deliveries in the run-up to Christmas.

Ocado already has no slots left in the week before December 25 and Tesco was swamped with demand when it released priority slots last week.

And the British Poultry Council warns supplies could run out due to a lack of skilled hands to process the meat.

Thousands of couriers have been hired, while sales of delivery vans have jumped.

Research out from Citizens Advice says half of people faced issues with parcel deliveries ahead of the Black Friday discount event later this month as more turn to online shopping.

The charity has had three times as many calls about delivery issues since March than in the same period last year.

Shambles at Port of Felixstowe described as a 's**t show'