More than 250 people crossed the Channel to Kent in small boats yesterday it has been confirmed.

Witnesses reported seeing large groups of asylum seekers being brought ashore in Dover by UK Border Force officials.

Now the Ministry of Defence has confirmed 254 people crossed to the UK in seven boats, adding that it does not believe that any migrants arrived on their own.

The MoD took over control of operations involving small boats in the Channel in April, when the Prime Minister also announced controversial plans to send some of those making the journey to Rwanda during a visit to Lydd.

Since taking on the new role, the government department publishes daily data on the number of detected border crossings in the previous 24 hours.

The latest arrivals have come after an 11-day break when no crossings were recorded, thought to be because of strong winds in the Channel.

Since the start of the year, at least 6,693 people have reached the UK after navigating busy shipping lanes from France in small boats, according to data compiled by Press Association.

That is more than three times the amount recorded this time last year and over six times the figure for the same period in 2020.

A government spokesman said: “The rise in dangerous Channel crossings is unacceptable. Not only are they an overt abuse of our immigration laws but they also impact on the UK taxpayer, risk lives and our ability to help refugees come to the UK via safe and legal routes."