Three people have died and about 50 more have been rescued from the water while trying to cross The Channel in an overloaded boat, French media are reporting.

A large-scale rescue operation has taken place off the coast of Sangatte in northern France.

La Voix Du Nord reports firefighters and police were deployed in huge numbers at the Tom Souville base.

Three people are reported to have died while 10 others are said to be suffering from severe hypothermia.

It comes as figures show 1,485 people have arrived in the UK by small boat since Christmas Day.

The total since records began on January 1, 2018, has now topped 150,000.