A machine the length of a football pitch has begun to tunnel under London to complete part of the final section of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL).

The machine, nicknamed Annie, will tunnel nearly five miles from Stratford, east London, to land near St Pancras at a rate of more than 100 yards a week.

A second machine, named Bertha, will start in six weeks and they are expected to reach St Pancras in around 20 months' time.

The 68-mile high speed link joining St Pancras and Paris is due to open in 2007.

Traditional ritual

Japanese construction contractor Nishimatsu-Cementation Skanska is in charge of the London stretch of the 24-mile section between Southfleet in Kent and St Pancras.

To mark the start of work by Annie on Thursday, six guests dressed in ceremonial robes broke a barrel of the Japanese rice wine, sake, in a traditional ritual.

The rail link is being built in two parts.

The first phase, which is 90% finished, is the 46 miles between Folkestone and Southfleet.

The final phase, which started in July 2001, takes the line to St Pancras via new stations at Stratford and Ebbsfleet in north Kent.