More than 1,000 migrants have crossed the Channel to the UK in a single day for the fourth time in seven weeks.

Some 1,065 people made the journey on Sunday in 25 boats, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said. This suggests an average of about 43 people per boat.

The three previous occasions when the daily total recently topped 1,000 were September 22, when 1,142 people were detected making the journey; September 4, when 1,160 were recorded; and August 22, when the figure reached 1,295 – the highest number on a single day since current records began in 2018.

The latest crossings take the provisional total for the year so far to 34,694, according to PA news agency analysis of Government figures. This is compared to 28,526 people who made the crossing in the whole of 2021.

In October to date, 1,693 people have arrived in the UK after making the journey.

The crossings come as the Government faces another legal challenge against its plan to send migrants to Rwanda.

Charity Asylum Aid’s case is due to be heard by High Court judges later this week after similar challenges were made last month.

Deportation flights are on hold while the legal disputes continue. The court is expected to give its ruling on all of the cases at the same time, at a later date.

Since the then-home secretary Priti Patel announced the deal with the east African nation in April, 29,426 people have arrived in the UK after making the journey from France.

A Government spokeswoman said: “The continued rise of dangerous Channel crossings is a clear abuse of our immigration laws, risking the lives of vulnerable people and funding vile criminal gangs.

“Despite the lies they have been sold by the people smugglers, migrants who travel through safe countries to illegally enter the UK will not be allowed to start a new life here. These individuals will be in scope to be relocated to Rwanda under our Migration and Economic Development Partnership.

“Our Nationality and Borders Act is beginning to have an impact on this exploitative business model, with more than 190 people already arrested since it became law, and we remain committed to removing those who flout our laws.”