Calais Mayor threatens to open the border if Britain won't help solve migrant crisis

Migrants try to break through the fence to get into the Eurotunnel at Calais Credit: Reuters

The Mayor of Calais has accused David Cameron of treating the region with "contempt" - and called on authorities to open the borders to Britain unless urgent action is taken over the migrant crisis.

Natacha Bouchard called on French President Francois Hollande to "bang on the table once and for all for us" and declare a diplomatic incident over the issue.

More than 3,000 migrants are currently estimated to be camped in what has become known as 'The Jungle' - a makeshift town filled with people hoping to sneak across the border and into Britain.

Channel Tunnel train and ferry operator Eurotunnel has reported [hundreds of migrants trying to break into the tunnel](http://2,000 migrants attempt to enter Eurotunnel overnight) every night.

Speaking on the RMC radio station, Bouchard called for economic help and criticised the British Prime Minister for his "contemptuous" attitude.

Read: French police: We're completely outnumbered by migrants

At the start of the month, Xavier Bertrand - republican candidate in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Picardy region - also threatened Cameron with allowing migrants to pass freely into England, accusing him of not grasping the severity of the problem.