Migrants and refugees attempting to find a better future have started making the dangerous crossing from France to the United Kingdom again after a temporary halt due to bad weather.

Five children were among the 158 people who crossed the English Channel from France on Sunday, the first small boats to arrive in more than two weeks.

Four toddlers wrapped in hooded jackets and a baby being carried in an adult's arms were seen arriving at the Kent port.

Crossings of the perilous Dover Strait have now resumed, with four boats arriving on Sunday and many thought to be attempting the journey early on Monday morning.

The Border Force and French authorities were again active in the Channel on Monday in what could be a busy day for migrant crossings.

Sunday's arrivals brought the total number of people who have crossed to Britain aboard small boats this year to more than 12,500, according to data compiled by the PA news agency.

Crossings in 2021 have already eclipsed last year's annual total of 8,417, and the tally continues to rise on fair weather days. Despite this, Britain continues to see far fewer boat arrivals and asylum claims than many of its European counterparts.

In Dover on Sunday, a child's cries were heard as they were helped ashore from a Border Force boat by immigration officials. They were led up a gangway by staff and taken to the Home Office facility on the quayside.

Across the water, French authorities rescued a 4-year-old child among 23 people on board an inflatable boat that had got into difficulty after suffering engine damage.