Lifeboat crews have been unable to recover an empty dinghy understood to have been used by migrants.

Volunteers from Dover located the broken up vessel in between rocks at Langdon Bay at around 1.15pm.

They made attempts to retrieve it however were only able to collect petrol cans and life jackets, due to its "difficult position."

UK Coastguard say the dinghy relates to a migrant incident in previous weeks. It remains broken up in the water.

A RNLI spokesman said: "The crew was launched about 1.15pm.

"They investigated the dingy that was there and recovered some items which have now been handed over to the Coastguard.

"It's possible it could have been there for a period of time.

"There are no reports of any people."

It comes after 18 migrants, including children, were intercepted off the Kent coast yesterday.

They were found travelling in two small boats.

There have been a net 46 cases, involving a total 400 people, since November 8 last year.

Incidents have occurred at Dover, Deal, Kingsdown, Folkestone and Romney Marsh.