Ninety asylum-seekers crossed Channel on Christmas Day, government says

Scores of people traversed busy body of water in just two small boats

Ninety asylum-seekers made the journey across the Channel on Christmas Day, according to the government, just days after four people died and dozens were rescued from a dinghy sinking in freezing waters.

Those who braved the 20-mile journey across the busy shipping lane on Sunday did so in just two small boats, according to provisional figures published daily by the Ministry of Defence.

The ministry confirmed that the 90 people who arrived were taken to the Western Jet Foil processing centre in Dover.