More than 300 migrants have crossed the English Channel in two days, the Home Office has confirmed.

On Wednesday 85 people made the crossing in four boats, followed by another 222 migrants in 10 boats on Thursday.

The French authorities stopped 257 people from making the crossing in seven boats over the same two days, a Home Office spokesman said.

More than 14,900 people in small boats have reached the UK in 2021.

The total for the year is already about 6,000 higher than the number of people who made the crossing in 2020.

Dan O'Mahoney, Clandestine Channel Threat Commander, said:?? "This unacceptable rise in dangerous crossings is being driven by criminal gangs and a surge in illegal migration across Europe.?"

The Channel is one of the most dangerous and busiest shipping lanes in the world. Many migrants come from some of the poorest and most chaotic parts of the world, and many ask to claim asylum once they are picked up by the UK authorities.