More than 1,700 attempts to cross the Eurotunnel to Britain were stopped overnight on Sunday, according to French police.

It comes as the UK announces new measures to clampdown on migrants who make it across the Channel. Landlords who fail to evict migrants who do not have the right to live in Britain could face up to five years in jail.

In recent weeks up to nine migrants have died trying to breach security in Calais, and a new fence is due to be completed by Friday.

“Now it’s very hard,” explains Musawir Nazari, (14), a migrant from Afghanistan. “We can’t go under (the fence). When we were going under, they used spray on us, and with sticks hit us a lot, we can’t go under. After that all people are send (to) Africa, Sudan, Iran, off to Palestine… We are getting (going to) die this way. We don’t live. We want to go (to Britain).”

Britain has pledged to pay for 200 extra security guards, fences and CCTV in Calais to boost security. However, French authorities estimate seven in ten migrants may be reaching the UK.

Britain divided on migration

The nightly attempts to breach security in France have led to travel disruptions in England, and Saturday saw rival pro and anti-migrant protests in the seaside town of Folkestone.

There has also been criticism of the Prime Minister’s plans and policies on immigration.

On asylum Britain lags behind other EU countries in the number of people accepted. According to Eurostat figures Britain accepted 14,605 asylum applications last year, meanining the UK is behind Bulgaria, Finland and Luxembourg for the number of applications accepted compared with its population.

On Sunday Britain and France called on the EU to do more to solve the root causes of what they called the ‘global migration crisis’.

EURO NEWS