Eight more migrants have been found off the coast.

The six men and two young children were intercepted as they travelled in a vessel as they travelled towards Britain.

A Border Force cutter was deployed in the Channel at 4am today to meet the boat.

The occupants were transferred to the cutter and brought to Dover.

All eight were medically assessed and passed to immigration officials for interview.

The group presented themselves as Iranian nationals.

A Home Office spokesman said: “Anyone crossing the Channel in a small boat is taking a huge risk with their life and the lives of their children.

“This is a complex issue which requires action on many fronts.

"Since the Home Secretary declared a major incident in December two cutters have returned to UK waters from overseas operations, we have agreed a joint action plan with France and increased activity out of the Joint Coordination and Information Centre in Calais.

“It is an established principle that those in need of protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach

"Since January, working closely with France and other countries, more than 20 people who arrived illegally in the UK in small boats have been returned to Europe.”

The net amount of incidents involving migrants reaching Britain by small vessel since November 8 is 49, including this one, now involving a total 419 people.

Incidents also happened in the areas of Deal, Folkestone and Romney Marsh.

The gross figure, including cases of people stopped by the French and brought back to the Continent, is 60 cases involving 527 people.