Channel migrants: More than 1,000 people cross in small boats in three days

Twenty boats have crossed the Channel since Thursday, latest figures show

More than 1,000 migrants have crossed the English Channel in three days, the Home Office says.

According to government figures, 172 people crossed on Thursday, with 486 making the crossing on Friday, and a further 374 arriving on Saturday.

So far this month 2,596 have arrived in the UK after crossing the Channel from France.

The total number of migrants making the journey in small boats this year is more than 10,000.

The figure is down by about 10% compared with the same period last year. 

Speaking in Dover earlier this month, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said his plan to cut the number of migrants crossing the Channel in boats was working and numbers were down for the first time.

Mr Sunak told BBC political editor Chris Mason that crossings were down by a fifth, and figures for Albanians heading to Britain were down by 90%.

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