More than 100 people have made a risky journey across the English Channel to Kent's shores today.

The Home Office confirmed 115 people have made the dangerous crossing to Dover in seven separate incidents - while French authorities intercepted a further 38 people attempting to cross.

A Home Office spokeman said: “People should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach and not risk their lives making these dangerous crossings. We are continuing to pursue the criminals behind these illegal crossings.

“The government is also returning illegal migrants who have no right to stay in the UK to safe countries.

"In January, new rules were introduced which make asylum claims inadmissible where people have travelled through safe countries to get to the UK through illegal routes.”

Last week, a man who risked his own life and those of 12 others - including a seven-year-old boy - by steering an over-crowded boat of asylum seekers across the Channel to Kent, was jailed for five-and-a-half years.

He was the 10th person to be jailed this year for such an offence, but received the longest sentence to date.

Read more: All the latest news from Dover