More than 3,000 people seeking asylum have made the perilous journey across the English Channel this year - doubling the figure year-on-year, despite the government vowing to crackdown on the route.

In figures reported by The Independent, it says the number is up 1,400 during the same period in 2020.

This comes despite Home Secretary Priti Patel vowing to make the route "unviable".

She said last August the sharp rise in crossing were "unacceptably high" and planned to make the route "unviable" by joint action with French officials to prevent small boats leaving France and intercepting those making the crossing.

However, the boats have kept on coming in an illegal industry spearheaded by people-smuggling gangs.

The Independent also revealed that since the start of the year no asylum seekers have been deported to EU countries they passed through on their way to the UK.

Since the Brexit transition period ended, no agreements have yet been made with other EU nations to return asylum seekers to the country they set off from - with a number, including France and Belgium, saying they will not sign any 'return agreement'.

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