The number of people entering Britain illegally in the backs of lorries more than doubled in 2015 to 6,429, compared to 2,411 in 2014.

This is according to Home Office figures which represent the first official indicator of last summer’s surge in so-called ‘lorry drops’, or ‘clandestine migration’ to the UK.

Weak security around the entrance to the Eurotunnel in France was one of the key factors in the surge of illegal migrants, with many breaking through the perimeter fence and hiding on trains or lorries. These migrants typically disembarked at Longport, the first UK-side stopping-point.

The Home Office said that there was “no such thing as a typical ‘lorry drop’”, because the number of people on board a vehicle varied.

British drivers and hauliers were more aware of the required vehicle security measures, compared to their foreign counterparts, and were therefore less likely to be prosecuted or issued with a civil penalty than other EEA or non-EEA drivers.

Failure to employ the expected security measures would result in a fine of up to £2,000.