Six suspected migrants rescued from English Channel

Six suspected migrants have been rescued from a small boat in the English Channel.

The vessel was spotted off the Kent coast at around 5.40am on Thursday.

Coastguards were alerted and Lydd-based search and rescue helicopters as well as a UK Border Force cutter - HMC Valiant - were scrambled.

A Border Force spokesman said: "Six men were recovered from the boat and are due to be interviewed by Border Force officers."

Earlier this year, the National Crime Agency told reporters that migrants were paying smuggling gangs up to £13,500 to enter the UK by inflatable boats.

It is also believed these gangs quote five-figure sums for people to enter Britain by air.

Investigators suspect criminal gangs are targeting the less busy ports of Tilbury, Purfleet, Hull, Immingham and Newhaven - on top of the main channel crossing between Calais and Dover.