Illegal migrants have massed in squalid makeshift camps in France, waiting for a chance to stow away to Britain.
Significant numbers have entered the EU in Italy and have made their way to Calais where they hope to secret themselves in lorries or ferries.
A leaked report from French border police has warned of an 'alarming' rise in illegal migrants, especially Eritreans, but also Ethiopians, Sudanese, Afghans and Syrians.
The rapidly rising numbers seeking shelter in the camps has led to two outbreaks of violence in the last two days. On Monday, 51 migrants were injured in the fighting, one seriously. A port worker estimated around 300 migrants were involved in running battles in the early hours of Tuesday.
The fights were said to be caused by bottlenecks near the Channel tunnel entrance and ferry terminal resulting from greater migrant numbers and tougher controls.
The report pointed to 61,591 migrants who landed in Italy during the first six months of the year. For the same period last year, the figure was only 7,913. Many of these made their way to France.
An authority in Calais says migrants sleeping rough there number 1,500 but warned that this could rise.
The number of applications in France for asylum fell in the first half of this year, indicating that France is really being used as a transit stop, according to the interior ministry.
Two illegal camps are due to be dismantled in several weeks, but these people will still have to go some place.
