A new TV series going behind the scenes at the Port of Dover and starring some of its key staff members has hit the screens for the first time.

The first episode of ‘Dover 24/7: Britain’s Busiest Port’ aired last night in the opening of six shows documenting the day-to-day activity.

Filming for the ITN-produced series, which is screening on Channel 4 at 8pm on Mondays, took place in August last year and follows frontline staff in their round-the-clock operation to keep the vitally important transport hub flowing.

It featured pallet worker Kev as one of the integral figures to show how the site runs smoothly at one of the country’s busiest cargo terminals.

“Sometimes when I’m out with my grandchildren, I say to them that I brought them bananas to this country,” he exclaims to the camera.

And with more than 1,000 varieties of banana coming through eight temperature-controlled warehouses at the port, Kev and other produce handlers told viewers how the team helps store up to 10,000 tonnes of fruit and vegetables when it arrives on Kent shores.

Stored at 14C, it is also crucial they are kept at this temperature as anything higher than this will lead to them ripening and crucially preventing the spread of ethylene and heat which can affect four or five pallets within days.

It also follows the port’s police force of 40 officers, who also manage security at the top of the White Cliffs and to "ensure no-one is up here is preparing hostile reconnaissance".

The episode also showed how passengers can attempt to break the law at the site, with a five-seater car being pulled over with eight passengers crammed inside - which officers say they see “on a daily basis".

Driving from Birmingham, the show captures the moment a Romanian man, who does not speak English, has children in the back of his vehicle who were not wearing seat belts.

He is later found to have six points on his licence and is uninsured, is refused entry to France and is told he will be receiving a court summons for the offences.

The episode also features a lorry driver claiming to have a pistol in his vehicle - which is later proven to be false - and the incident forces him to be escorted from the docks.

During the summer months, Dover processes upwards of 10,000 freight vehicles and 15,000 passenger vehicles a day, while the port is responsible for handling 33% of all trade-in goods with the EU.

Staff help transport and collect the likes of steel, timber, cars and vast amount of food, including a third of the country's supply of bananas.

It also reveals that some of the port’s ferry operators cook and serve more than two million meals per year.

Speaking prior to the series premiere, producer Simon Lee said he expects viewers to be intrigued throughout the series.

He said: “This is an exciting opportunity to see first-hand the integral, complex and highly skilled workings of this bastion of all ports.

“I am certain that viewers will be captivated by the challenges the staff face as they ensure this vital transport hub is kept open for business 24 hours a day.”