Attempts by migrants to cross the Channel to reach Britain have doubled in seven months compared with last year.

The figure for 2019 so far was 1,150 attempts compared with 562 in the whole of 2018.

The statistics were revealed by Home Secretary Sajid Javid at a Home Affairs Select Committee hearing yesterday.

Of those attempts this year, 725 people arrived in the UK and 425 were intercepted in France.

Arrivals in Kent have been in places such as Dover, Kingsdown near Deal, Folkestone and Romney Marsh.

One of the most remarkable cases was when a migrant tried to swim the Channel with a buoy and flippers, on July 16, but was stopped by French authorities.

Figures also show that the deployment of two Navy vessels for several weeks at the start of this week cost £780,000.

Sir Philip Rutnam, Permanent Secretary at the Home Office told the committee that he was content with the cost.

Mr Javid's declaration last December that these multiple crossings on small craft as a "major incident" was considered a success as there had been no loss of life.

A Home Office spokesman said: "Anyone crossing the Channel in a small boat is taking a huge risk with their life and the lives of their children.

"Since the Home Secretary declared a major incident in December, two cutters have returned to UK waters from overseas operations, we have agreed a joint action plan with France and increased activity out of the Joint Coordination and Information Centre in Calais.

"In June, the Home Secretary and the French Interior Minister, Christophe Castaner, agreed to continue to explore options to reinforce the efforts already being made.

"It is an established principle that those in need of protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach and since January more than 50 people who arrived illegally in the UK in small boats have been returned to Europe."

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