MASS evictions of migrants in northern France have caused the spike in the number of them trying to cross the Channel in boats, a charity says.

Asylum-seekers have fetched up living on roadside verges as a crackdown sees some camps cleared three times a day, said Help Refugees.

It said sleep-deprivation is affecting their mental health and some are openly talking about swimming the Channel. The warning came as scores of migrants were cleared from camps in Calais yesterday. Another large site in Dunkirk was due to be shut following a court order.

Maddy Allen, of Help Refugees, said: ‘I’m deeply concerned about the rise in boat crossings in the last few months.

‘There is a direct correlation between this and the evictions.’

Migrants pay up to 2,000 euros for individual crossings and up to 6,000 euros for a family. On Tuesday, at least 86 made it to the UK. A further 21 arrived on Wednesday.