Asylum seekers crossing the Channel in small boats were not taken to Dover today due to the P&O Ferries crisis.

Government officials have revealed that Border Force has temporarily stood up alternative processing sites on the Kent coast, as disruption continues in the port town.

They insist operations will return to normal as soon as possible, as they liaise with Coastguard and police chiefs.

KentOnline understands one of the new locations is the Port of Ramsgate, where dozens of people were seen being escorted to shore early this morning.

A Home Office spokesman said: "There are safe and legal routes available for people who need to come to the UK.

"Criminal gangs should not be risking people’s lives by attempting to cross the Channel via small boat or in the backs of lorries.

“We are cracking down on people smugglers by making it a criminal offence to knowingly arrive in the UK illegally and introducing a maximum sentence of life imprisonment for those who facilitate illegal entry into the country.”

Photographs show men, women and children arriving at Ramsgate, after being brought to land on a Border Force vessel.

A number of coaches later arrived at the port to transfer the individuals elsewhere.

This comes after a second day of protests against P&O Ferries' decision to suddenly sack 800 employees were held in Dover.

There were chants of "seize the ships" as the group marched from RMT headquarters in Snargate Street down the A20 towards the port.

Traffic was held up as police imposed a rolling road block around the demonstration.

They later gathered underneath the White Cliffs – at the entrance to the Port of Dover – to hear union bosses give speeches.

Protesters blocked two roads in the town yesterday for about two hours after shortly after the P&O workers were made jobless.

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