Nearly 500 people were intercepted attempting to cross the English Channel in small boats on Monday, British authorities reported.

The authorities brought 395 people ashore from 12 boats on Monday, while another 101 people on four boats were intercepted by the French. This means that more than 4,500 people have been brought to Britain since the start of the year, according to figures collated by the PA news agency.

A number of children were among those who arrived at Dover in Kent, including a girl pictured without shoes.

The Minister for Justice and Tackling Illegal Migration Tom Pursglove sternly said: "The rise in dangerous Channel crossings is unacceptable.

"Not only are they an overt abuse of our immigration laws but they also impact on the U.K. taxpayer, risk lives and our ability to help refugees come to the U.K. via safe and legal routes. Rightly, the British public has had enough.

"Through our Nationality and Borders Bill, we're cracking down on people-smugglers and fixing the broken system by making it a criminal offense to knowingly arrive in the U.K. illegally, and introducing a maximum sentence of life imprisonment for those who facilitate illegal entry into our country."