Calais migrant attempts to enter Channel tunnel fall to 200 a night

Eurotunnel says situation remains unacceptable but extra security measures have had a big effect

Increased security has reduced the number of migrant attempts to get into the Channel tunnel terminal near Calais to between 100 and 200 a night, sources say.

The figures represent a dramatic fall compared with the height of the crisis when an estimated 2,000 attempts were said to have been made on two successive nights at the end of July.

Despite the drop, the operator Eurotunnel said the figures were still unacceptable.

Migrants have been attempting to scale or break through perimeter fencing around the terminal to jump aboard lorries bound for the UK. At least nine are known to have died trying to make the crossing into Britain since June.