French becoming more effective in stopping small boat crossings, UK says

French police tactics are becoming more effective in stopping small boats in the English Channel from reaching Britain, the Home Office has said.

It credits French authorities with intercepting 185 potential crossings involving 4,300 migrants this summer over four separate weeks, as well as stopping 12 boats at sea using new techniques.

Footage released by French police shows officers racing across a beach in jeeps to intercept a launch. Once the boat is abandoned, an officer slashes it lengthways with a knife.

The Conservatives described the announcement as a "joke" and said Channel crossing preventions were "down by half over the past year".

Migrants can be seen throwing objects at the officers, one of whom appears to respond with pepper spray.

While Channel crossings are down about 40% compared to last year, thousands of illegal migrants are getting through with 250 arriving on Monday.

In late July a record 165 migrants reached the UK in a single boat with Border Security Command pictured towing a mega dinghy - estimated to be the same size as a standard bus at 13m (42ft) long - when it arrived in Dover on 23 July.

The Home Office, citing French police figures, said that since it struck a deal with France three months ago which included additional funding for authorities, 61% of small boats have been intercepted - a five per cent increase compared to last year.