Asylum seekers keep on trying

More than 3,800 attempts by asylum-seekers from the Sangatte camp at Calais were made to enter Britain through the Chunnel Tunnel this month alone, French police reveal today.

Mainly Afghans and Iraqis, they were all returned to the Red Cross camp which has been criticised by the Government for being a magnet for refugees.

The latest attempt in the early hours by 184 people led to the suspension of freight services through the tunnel.

It came hours after Home Secretary David Blunkett announced new measures to tackle the crisis.

The suspension of freight services has led to long delays on both sides of the Channel, with at least 15 trains operated by Britain's largest rail freight company EWS unable to travel. Eurostar and Eurotunnel lorry services were not affected as they operate from Eurotunnel's own terminal, which was not involved.

A growing number of would-be immigrants are trying to reach Britain in the wake of the US air strikes on Afghanistan, from where many of the refugees originate.

But increased security at the Eurotunnel terminal has forced them to seek alternative ways of getting in. A spokesman for Calais police said: "Over the past four weeks we have seen an upsurge in illegal immigrants targeting the French railways depot.

"In the month of October we estimate we have returned more than 3,800 clandestines to Sangatte."

The refugees began their latest attempt to enter the SNCF depot shortly after midnight. Power had to be switched off as French police and private security guards tried to find many who had already managed to sneak on to the trains.

EWS said: "As sometimes happens with Eurotunnel you get a sudden rush of asylum-seekers whose goal is to get into Britain by any means."

Mr Blunkett told Parliament yesterday that he was ordering a radical overhaul of immigration policy to cope with the numbers. Four reception centres are to be built providing full board, health, education and legal services for 8,000 people a year to relieve the pressure on towns and cities. Asylum seekers will be required to carry identity cards.