1,034 migrants "rescued" from 18 dinghies from Friday to Sunday

More than 23,000 migrants have now crossed the English Channel in small boats so far this year, according to official figures.

It comes after 1,034 people were rescued in 18 dinghies in just three days from Friday to Sunday during the September heatwave before being brought ashore in Dover, sending the total for this year to 23,103.

Further, new images show young male asylum seekers queuing today to go into the Atrium Hotel in Feltham next to London Heathrow. Numerous former hotels have been taken over by the Home Office to house asylum seekers.

On Saturday, 425 people crossed in seven boats, suggesting an average of around 61 people per vessel.

On Sunday, six inflatables carrying 389 passengers arrived in temperatures of above 30C, with an even higher average of around 65 people in each dinghy.

In total, 3,002 people have arrived in the first 10 days of September alone, with the hot weather making for ideal crossing conditions.

Also on Sunday, 153 migrants had to be rescued by French authorities off the coast of Calais.

The French coastguard rescued two dinghies with broken engines and returned them to the port.

The first boat was crammed with 81 people, including eight women and 10 children who were returned to the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer in the early hours of the morning.

One person was reported to have fallen into the water from the dinghy but was picked up by rescuers.

Later, a second dinghy carrying 72 people was also rescued, with all of the passengers, including 17 children and 14 women, carried back to Calais.

More than 2,000 migrants arrived in the UK after crossing the Channel last week, figures show.