France will start intercepting small boats in Channel after UK pressure

France has agreed to begin stopping small boats in the Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.

The change in policy comes after the British leader wrote to the President asking him to back the plan and saying there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.

French security forces will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to authoritative statements.

French authorities have rarely intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both personnel and civilians.

"It is essential that we implement these methods this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."

Currently, a French naval police representative states officers will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.

Notably, the official ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a potential technique to snarl the propellers of the vessels.

This determination to intervene at all is a significant step forward, following a brief change towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which ceased when the former government official departed from office.

This was demonstrated in July, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.

Now French authorities will again be permitted to stop boats prior to they collect migrant individuals from the beaches of northern France, however it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.

Strong winds are presently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for ways to adapt to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the past.

The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for comment.