What a nightmare!

Strike action left the entire Tube network virtually paralysed today, causing travel chaos across the capital.

At the height of the morning peak period, when more than 500 trains should have been running, there was a mere handful in operation.

Thousands of commuters were forced on to packed buses; many were so full by 7am that passengers were being turned away.

By 8.20am at Euston, police community support officers were helping to control growing crowds of people swarming around the doors of each bus, some becoming embroiled in bitter rows as they tried to scramble aboard. Others chose to drive to work, causing huge jams on key routes around the capital.

Pickets were manning key Tube stations to deter would-be strike-breakers. The RMT union called the 24-hour action - which runs until 6.30 tonight - over pay and conditions.

They want a 35-hour, four-day week and a minimum wage of £22,000 a year for station staff, which would equate to a rise of 16 per cent. London Underground has offered a two-year deal worth 6.75 per cent.

Mayor Ken Livingstone - who was walking to work today - has called on Tube workers to cross picket lines. Today he told the unions: "I am sorry but there isn't any more money."

He added of the strike: "It's a lot of disruption for London and the loss of a day's pay for staff.

"A lot of people will be thinking to themselves, I wouldn't mind a 35-hour week and a six and three quarter per cent pay rise. If the answer is to strike then I think the union is asking the wrong question."

Mr Livingstone said he had no extra money "hidden away" to meet the RMT demands for a four-day week. "We have been quite honest," he said. "There is no way we can afford that."

He said that union calls for a four-day week were "not impossible; it's just incredibly expensive" and he was not prepared to fund this by increasing fares or raising council tax.

The Mayor said he had met RMT leader Bob Crow last Friday but the meeting had lasted only a matter of minutes. "It's good to have street theatre," Mr Livingstone said. "I keep turning up to meetings and he keeps storming out."

Some drivers from the Aslef union, which is not on strike, went to work as normal today, helping a small number of Tube services to run.

At 7am there were 30 trains operating out of a scheduled 240. A very few more were brought into service as the morning peak progressed. By 8am there were five lines with no service at all and a very limited service on the remaining seven lines.

There were no trains on the Wimbledon branch of the District line, causing problems for many tennis fans.

Commuters on early overground trains into London said there were "an incredible number of bikes" on board as well as many people in trainers, preparing to walk to their offices. Citybound-buses were packed, with frustratedwould-be passengers being turned away on the Marylebone to Liverpool Street route. Keith Wilson, 50, a civil servant from north London, said: "This is a joke. I just haven't got a clue when I'm going to get to work - already the buses are full." On the roads, AA Roadwatch reported particular difficulties for drivers to the north of London.

Smithfield meat market, normally busy at 7am, was described as " absolutely deserted". One trader said: "If people feel they can't get home in the evening then they're not going to come here."

Business has blamed "Jurassic-era" unions for the shutdown, with the London-Chamber of Commerce saying there was "no conceivable justification" for the stoppage.

Mr Crow has refused to rule out the possibility of more action. He apologised for the disruption, adding: "And these are not crocodile tears." He laid the blame firmly on Tube management for "failing to negotiate" with the union. The RMT leader said: "We cannot rule out further industrial action if the company [London Underground] fails to negotiate."