French authorities have stopped 79 suspected asylum seekers crossing the Channel to Britain in seven incidents over the last week.

Details have been given by northern France's maritime authority préfecture maritime de la Manche et de la mer du Nord.

Last Monday, a French naval vessel and rescue tug were sent out to a boat in difficulty containing 13 men and one woman off the Dunes canal near Dunkirk.

They were taken to Boulogne.

On Tuesday morning, rescuers were sent to a boat stranded near a dyke in the Dunkirk area and 29 people, including five women, were taken into Dunkirk.

Later that day the DFDS ferry Côte des Flandres warned coastguards of a boat in difficulty off Calais. Four people were brought to the port.

On Thursday, coastguards were alerted to a boat taking in water off Dunkirk.

Vessels from the French navy and gendarmerie were sent out and eight people were rescued, taken to Dunkirk.

Yesterday morning, a boat with 14 people was reported to be in difficulty off Boulogne and the occupants were brought to the port.

Later that morning four people in a boat in difficulty were rescued off the headland Cap Blanc-Nez near Sangatte and taken to Calais.

And at 10.30am (British time) today, six people in a boat were taken to Calais after being rescued off Dunkirk.

Coastguards had been alerted by the DFDS ferry Dunkirk Seaways.

In all cases the boat occupants were found to be safe and well and were handed to border police.

A spokesman for the préfecture said: "The maritime prefect of the Channel and the North Sea warns migrants who plan to cross the Channel, it is one of the busiest areas in the world and weather conditions are often difficult.

"It is therefore dangerous for human life."

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