A RECORD 853 migrants crossed the the English Channel to the UK on small boats in a single day on Wednesday.
The tally trumps the previous daily record of 828 set in August, according to data compiled by the PA news agency.
It comes after French authorities said two migrants died this week while attempting the journey and several more were feared to have been lost at sea last week.
The Home Office confirmed UK authorities had to rescue or intercept 853 people from 25 incidents on Wednesday.
More than 21,000 migrants have made the crossing to the UK so far this year - more than double the total for the whole of 2020.
In 2019, Home Secretary Priti Patel promised to make migrant crossings an “infrequent phenomenon” by spring 2020 and then pledged in August last year to “make this route unviable”.
During this time, the Government has agreed to pay France millions of pounds to increase security on its northern coast.
Campaigners and aid charities have repeatedly called on ministers to overhaul the asylum system in light of the soaring numbers.
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