Three people have died attempting to cross the English Channel in a small boat on Sunday morning, the French coastguard says.

People ended up in the water after trying to board a boat off the coast of Sangatte, near Calais, at about 06:00 local time (05:00 GMT).

The three people later declared dead were recovered from the water by helicopter, while a further 45 were given treatment on the beach, many suffering from hypothermia. Four were taken to hospital.

It has been the deadliest year on record for Channel crossings. Dame Angela Eagle, minister for border security and asylum, said lives had been lost because “ruthless criminals running the small boat trade are overloading people into unseaworthy vessels”.