A total 19 more migrants were picked up, leading to a figure of more than 100 people in three successive days.

The Home Office says that at around 2.45am yesterday (Thursday) a Border Force Cutter intercepted a RHIB (rigid-hulled inflatable boat), which had 19 people.

In this single incident there were 11 men, four women and four children who said they were Iranian and Iraqi.

A Home Office spokesman said that they were brought ashore and medically assessed before being interviewed by immigration officials.

This makes a total 111 migrants found this week in eight incidents.

Two small boats carrying 13 people in all, five in one vessel and eight in the other, were intercepted by Border Force on Tuesday.

These were classed as two separate instances.

On Wednesday there were a record 79 migrants picked after a massive air and sea operation involving Border Force, Kent Police, HM Coastguard and the RNLI.

They were spread among five small vessels in five incidents.

One group landed at Kingsdown near Deal.

The previous record for one day had been 74 migrants, or suspected ones, in June.

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