Page 7 - Dover Docks News Today

According to official government data, 4,159 people have made the treacherous journey across the 21-mile Dover Straits in 96 dinghies or other small craft.

A new milestone has been reached after more than 20,000 people were detected crossing the English Channel in small boats so far this year, Government figures show.

Figures released by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) today show the number of migrants to reach UK shores in the past 11 days alone is now 2,309.

Nearly 400 migrants crossed the English Channel by small boat on Monday - bringing the total this month to more than 2,000, with the figure is set to continue rising as around 40 arrived today.

A total of 18,284 people have crossed the Channel so far this year - with 1,885 of those migrants arriving in August alone, according to data released by the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

The young man, dressed in a jacket, tracksuit bottoms and a life jacket, was seen looking jubilant as he made it onto dry land.

Since April, Royal Navy vessels (pictured towing small boats) have escorted all but one of the boats operated by people smugglers, according to official figures.

The Home Secretary last night defiantly vowed to plough ahead with her flagship migration plan despite a Strasbourg judges extraordinary 11th-hour intervention blocked the first flight.

MPs and ministers called for the UK to withdraw from European Court of Human Rights after it intervened to stop an Iraqi citizen being deported - just before the flight was due to take off.

Peter Bone made a combative speech in the Commons as campaigners revealed that just seven of the original 130 people notified are still set to be on board.