Two men have been arrested after a group of migrants were found in the back of a van after landing in Kent.

Witnesses saw border force and RNLI vessels in the water off the coast of Sandgate, Folkestone and several officers examining an empty dinghy on the shore.

One witness said he saw a lot of activity in the water early yesterday morning, and the coastguard on the beach in a 4x4.

He said: "It is my understanding the boat was abandoned on the beach because the police were taking photos on it".

The boat was then removed and the service vessels dispersed.

The Home Office were contacted for comment and they confirmed that the vessel is believed to have contained migrants.

They said that a van which had been seen leaving the scene was subsequently stopped and searched by Essex Police on the A12 near Chelmsford.

Officers discovered a group of eight people in the back, who all identified themselves as Iranian nationals.

The group included a family of four- parents and two children- as well as three men and an unaccompanied child.

A Home Office spokesperson said: "The family group and two of the men were questioned by Home Office officials and will be dealt with according to the immigration rules.

"The unaccompanied minor has been passed into the care of social services."

A 44-year-old man from Colchester and one of the Iranian nationals were arrested on suspicion of facilitation.

They were questioned by immigration officers before being released under investigation.

A Kent Police spokesman said: "Kent Police was called at 6.35am on Wednesday to reports of an abandoned dinghy on Granville Parade, Sandgate.

"Officers attended the scene but no persons were found.

"The incident is being dealt with by the Home Office Immigration Team."

This was the third incident involving migrants in the South-East in the same day, after the discovery of migrants in a lorry closed the M20 last night, and 39 bodies of Chinese nationals were found in the back of a lorry in Grays, Essex.

Read more: All the latest news from Folkestone