Calais 'Jungle' camp clearance to begin Monday

The Calais 'jungle' camp will be cleared starting Monday, French authorities have said.

Officials at the interior ministry have said most of the 6,500 residents in the camp will be offered relocation in reception centres in Europe.

The UK government has called for as many children with links to the UK as possible to be brought to the UK before the camp is demolished.

The dismantling of the camp has become a major issue for French President Francois Hollande ahead of next year's presidential elections, with rivals positioning immigration as a key battleground.

Britons heading to France have been warned they may face delays as a result of the clearance operation, which is expected to last a few days.

The Foreign Office said: "The French government has declared its intention to clear the migrant camp in Calais, starting on Monday October 24.

"Although the French government has plans in place to manage disruption, there remains a possibility that those travelling to Calais port may experience some delays during the clearance, which is expected to last several days."

More than 70 refugees have arrived in the UK from Calais this week and many more are expected to come over the weekend before the camp is demolished.