Channel crossings: Over a THOUSAND illegal migrants attempting to reach Britain today

Around 450 migrants have been intercepted on 9 small boats in the English Channel, after a break in bad weather, GB News can reveal.

Several other small boats attempted to reach the Kent coast on Wednesday but never made into UK waters.

Sources had predicted a huge surge in small boat arrivals today as winds died down briefly before picking up again this afternoon.

The Border Force Vessel Volunteer arrived at the processing centre in Dover harbour just after midnight with more than 40 people taken from a single inflatable.

The patrol boat returned to sea and picked up another two boat loads, totalling almost 90 people. Another Border Force vessel, Typhoon arrived in Dover around 8:30am with more than 40 Channel migrants.

They'll have initial checks in Dover before being transferred to the Border Force main processing centre at Manston in Kent.

GB News has been told that several other small boats have been spotted in the Channel this morning.

Sources have indicated more than a thousand Channel migrants could attempt the crossing today.

Winter storms over the past two months have prevented crossings on all but a handful of days.

Around 590 migrants have successfully made it to Kent since the New Year.

Weather conditions are expected to deteriorate again later today, until at least the weekend.

The poor weather has taken some of the pressure off Rishi Sunak's government, after the Prime Minister promised to get tough on those abusing the UK's immigration system.

Three Border Force vessels, French Patrol boats and air assets are currently involved in operations out in the Channel this morning.

People smugglers are expected to continue attempting to push boats off French beaches throughout the day.

At the weekend, criminal gangs launched boats from an 80 mile stretch of French coastline, from Dunkirk to well south of Boulonge.