Home Secretary Theresa May has announced there is to be a secure zone for lorries in Calais to safeguard them against efforts by migrants to break in and cross the channel to the UK.

She told the Commons the secure zone should provide protection for lorries and their drivers by "removing them from the open road where they can become targets for migrants".

She said British drivers "work tirelessly" to keep the economy moving, adding: "It is imperative they are allowed to continue their business unimpeded.

"So today I can announce the creation of a new secure zone at the port of Calais for UK-bound lorries.

"This will provide a secure waiting area for 230 vehicles, the equivalent of removing a two-and-a-half mile queue from the approaching road.

"This should transform protection for lorries and their drivers."

She was speaking just hours after more than 20 migrants made their way into the UK through Kent last night.

Speaking to the home affairs select committee, Kent Chief Constable Alan Pughsley said 22 illegal migrants had got into the county last night, with a further three seriously injured in Calais.

"This should transform protection for lorries and their drivers" - Theresa May

The numbers of migrants breaking through security has soared in recent weeks.

Mr Pughsley said, from January to May of this year, 26 migrants had been found and dealt with by Kent Police.

That number had soared to 405 people found through the month of June and into the first week of July - with 96 coming through in just one day.

When asked if the situation was at crisis point, Mr Pughsley said: "Unless something significant is done to stop the amount of people trying to come into this country at the levels we've seen in the last four to five weeks there will be a stage where the resilience of my officers dealing with it will become a significant problem."