A suspected illegal immigrant was spotted yesterday morning by P&O's Spirit of Britain on a raft off shore in Calais.

The vessel was in the Calais approach channel.

It is suspected the man was trying to reach Dover.

It is understood that he was 23-years-old and of Afghan origin.

P&O spokesman Brian Rees said: "This illustrates the desperate measures some will take.

"The water temperature in the Dover Strait is about 50 degrees at the moment.

"That's enough to throw somebody not used to it straight into cold water shock.

"A normal person trying to swim in that, it is a matter of minutes before the blood goes to the body's core and you can't move your arms and legs whether you want to or not."

Mr Rees added: "The ship contacted both Calais port and Gris Nez.

"Gris Nez asked us to keep an eye on him until the Calais Lifeboat could recover him.

"In the photo it all looks fairly benign, but to my seafaring colleagues it looks like a person who is very fortunate to have been spotted before it all went horribly wrong."