People travelling to the UK via small boats appear to have had their movements interrupted by poor weather conditions with fewer attempts in recent days days.

The Home Office know of an asylum seeker attempt in the Channel on Christmas Day when 67 people were brought ashore at Dover.

It happened again on Monday, December 27, when UK authorities had to rescue or intercept 36 people from one event.

That day French authorities intercepted two events preventing 72 people from reaching the UK.

There was no such activity on Boxing Day and Tuesday, December 28, and this is likely to be down to harsh conditions including rain, wind and fog.

While mild at times, the wetter, and windier conditions have extended southeastwards leading to significant periods of rain in all regions.

The unsettled weather has resulted in one of the most dull Christmas periods in years.

But the harsh conditions aren't due to last.

The UK is due to experience some exceptionally mild weather over the New Year period.

Neil Armstrong, Met Office chief meteorologist, said: “The position of the jet stream and a low-pressure system to the west of Ireland over the next few days mean that a large amount of unusually warm air will be pulled up over the UK.

“While this means a very mild start to the New Year for most in the UK it will soon be replaced by more ‘normal’ January conditions.

"These warm spells in winter are consistent with what we would expect with climate change, and while cold snaps cannot be ruled out, we would expect above-average temperatures like this to become a more frequent occurrence as the global climate warms.”

More than 1,100 asylum seekers made it to Kent in the space of just four days last week.

Since the start of the year, more than 27,000 people have reached the UK after navigating busy shipping lanes from France in small boats.

This is more than triple the total for the whole of 2020.