Almost 500 migrants have arrived in the UK in a single day after crossing the Channel in nine small boats.

According to Home Office figures, a total of 471 people arrived in nine boats on Saturday, following 142 in two boats on Friday.

The latest arrivals bring the total so far for 2024 to 27,225 which is a 5% increase on the same time last year but 25 per cent less than 2022.

By October 12 2023, 25,931 people had made the crossing and in 2022, 36,491 had arrived.

A Home Office spokesman said: “We all want to end dangerous small boat crossings, which threaten lives and undermine our border security.

“As we have seen with so many recent devastating tragedies in the Channel, the people-smuggling gangs do not care if the vulnerable people they exploit live or die, as long as they pay.

“We will stop at nothing to dismantle their business models and bring them to justice.”

The spokesperson said the Home Office is “making progress” and that the new Border Security Command enhance efforts to prosecute smuggling gangs.