Total number of migrant crossing this year climbs above 8,000 

Over 8,000 people have arrived in the UK so far this year having crossed the English Channel in small boats following the latest arrivals this weekend.

Yesterday (Sunday, 15th May), at least 300 people were picked up by Border Force vessels and RNLI lifeboats in the Channel while 167 people made the crossing in 13 boats on the 14th according to the Ministry of Defence.

Around 20 people, mainly men, were brought onto the beach at Dungeness while  most other migrants were taken into the harbour at the Port of Dover.

The groups were taken onto coaches to be driven to the immigration processing centre at the former Manston airport.

According to official figures 1,264 have made the crossing so far this month alone.

It takes the total so far this year to 8,066 who have been detained by Border Force in 256 small boats.

The latest crossings come as the Home Office said it will begin the process of informing the first asylum seekers that they could be flown to Rwanda under its new resettlement scheme, with flights expected to begin in 'the coming months'.