Almost 1,300 small-boat migrants have reached Britain in just four days – the busiest period so far this year.
The Home Office confirmed 609 migrants were brought ashore on Monday – pushing this year’s running total past the 20,000 mark.
It means the four-day period from Friday to Monday saw 1,282 arrive in total, beating this year’s previous four-day high of 1,202, set in June.
Since January 1, 20,478 migrants have now reached Britain by crossing the Channel illegally.
There was a further unconfirmed number of arrivals on Tuesday, with Border Force vessels busy picking up migrants from early in the morning.
Monday’s departures from
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