Migrants celebrate as they land on Broadstairs beach in Kent in front of stunned sunbathers after making dangerous crossing on dinghy packed with 20 people including baby
- Their unexpected arrival surprised beachgoers on the north east Kent coastline
- Some holidaymakers offered the group crisps and drinks after they landed
- A record 828 people had to be rescued or intercepted making trip on Saturday
This is the moment a group of migrants celebrated as they landed on Broadstairs beach in Kent in front of stunned sunbathers.
The group of 20 people - including three children and a baby - had made the perilous 30-mile trip across the English Channel on a dinghy.
Their unexpected arrival surprised beachgoers in Broadstairs on the north east Kent coastline - a further 10 miles from the usual boat landings on the south stretch of the county from Calais.
Sally Jones Rowell and her daughter Lydia Jones, 13, were at their beach hut when they saw them arrive - one man raising his arms in the air - with the kind-hearted teenager offering them crisps and drinks.
This is the moment a group of migrants celebrated as they landed on Broadstairs beach in Kent in front of stunned sunbathers
Their unexpected arrival surprised beachgoers in Broadstairs on the north east Kent coastline - a further 10 miles from the usual boat landings on the south stretch of the county from Calais
Sally Jones Rowell and her daughter Lydia Jones, 13, were at their beach hut when they saw them arrive, with the kind-hearted teenager offering them crisps and drinks
A Kent Police spokesperson said: 'Kent Police officers assisted Border Force after a report of suspected migrants in Stone Bay, Broadstairs, at 1.50pm'
The group clambered up steps onto the promenade on Saturday afternoon.
The baby was just a few months old and one of the children was about three years old.
Sally said: 'We were at our beach hut in Stone Bay when a boat of migrants came up on the beach.
'It was mainly young men and a very expensive boat. A few young children.
'Most of them ran off in every direction. We gave the children some packets of crisps.'
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A Kent Police spokesperson said: 'Kent Police officers assisted Border Force after a report of suspected migrants in Stone Bay, Broadstairs, at 1.50pm.'
It comes after it was confirmed that more migrants crossed the Channel on Saturday than on any previous single day - amid claims France has 'lost control of the border'.
A record-breaking 828 people had to be rescued or intercepted making the dangerous journey in 30 boats.
The Home Office finally confirmed the figures on Monday evening, some two days after the influx of arrivals.
Saturday's figure smashes the previous daily record of 592 arrivals set on August 12.
More migrants crossed the Channel on Saturday than on any previous single day - amid claims France has 'lost control of the border'. Pictured: Migrants crossing the Channel on a small dinghy on Saturday
A record-breaking 828 people had to be rescued or intercepted making the dangerous 21-mile journey in 30 boats. Pictured: Migrants are brought ashore in Kent on Saturday
And it also makes it the busiest weekend of migrant crossings ever - surpassing the 571 who arrived on July 10 and 11.
It is the fifth time this year the figure has been higher than 2020's record day of 416 migrants.
On August 12, 592 migrants arrived in 16 boats, 475 in 15 boats on August 5, 482 in 21 boats the day before (August 4) and 430 arrived in 17 boats on July 19.
More than 12,000 migrants have now crossed the Dover Strait, one of the world's busiest shipping routes, by boat this year.
So far, 12,427 have arrived in 2021 compared to the previous record of 8,410 in 2020.
More than 3,000 have arrived this month alone. 3,012 have made the journey on board 100 boats so far in August.
Dover and Deal MP Natalie Elphicke claimed France had 'lost control of their side of the border'.
She said last night: 'It increasingly looks like the French have lost control of their side of the border.
'An urgent, fresh approach is needed for the British and French to work together to stop boats leaving in the first place, turn them around and make returns.
'With the crisis in Afghanistan, it's more important than ever that these illegal routes are closed down and safe, legal, routes prioritised.
'We cannot risk of a return of the squalid and dangerous camps of Sangatte and the Calais Jungle.'
The Home Office confirmed no migrants arrived on Monday or on Sunday as the brief gap in poor sea conditions quickly closed with stormy weather settling in.
They also claimed French authorities prevented 193 people from making the crossing in 10 boats.
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