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Security sources have condemned 'highly reckless people smugglers' after an illegal migrant dinghy was launched into the English Channel this morning in treacherous conditions.
The dinghy made it to UK waters, with dozens of people onboard, just before 10am after being escorted across by two French patrol ships.
Winds in the Channel have exceeded 15mph at times today, far higher than criminal gangs will normally consider launching boats in.
One maritime security source told GB News: "We're seeing the criminal gangs taking greater risks now, as they try to stay one step ahead of French law enforcement.
"As well as the traditional launch points around Dunkirk and the Pas-de-Calais, they've been pushing out dinghies much further West in the Channel where there aren't as many police patrols.
"But now we're seeing highly reckless people smugglers pushing the envelope in terms of the weather conditions they're prepared to launch in.
"These flimsy vessels are dangerous even in the most benign of conditions but when the winds and waves pick up, they really struggle to make any headway and can often start to come apart."
The Border Security Command vessel Contender took the illegal immigrants who made it to UK waters this morning to the Border Force processing centre at Dover Harbour.
Just after 11am, GB News counted 53 people, the vast majority young men, as they were taken off the Contender and led to nearby tents for initial health and security checks.
Today's illegal arrivals follow more than 145 migrants who crossed the Channel in two migrant dinghies yesterday.
It takes the number who have crossed so far this year to just under 17,500.
It comes as Piddington's furious fightback has attracted attention from communities across Britain, with parish and town councillors contacting the Oxfordshire village for advice on how to mount their own campaigns.
More than 500 inquiries were reportedly made after the parish council published its blueprint for the referendum, according to chairman Tim McNally.
An unprecedented vote has been organised by residents opposed to plans to house up to 1,256 asylum seekers at nearby former military barracks.
Villagers have warned that the scale of the proposed accommodation could have a major impact on the small community, which has around 350 residents.
The campaign has received backing from Reform UK and the Conservatives, while Nigel Farage has said he would support other villages that follow Piddington's lead and hold similar votes.
Women in Piddington have also raised concerns about safety and security, with residents planning self-defence classes and calling for additional CCTV, emergency alerts and security patrols.
The Home Office has insisted that claims it plans to house 3,510 people at the former MoD site are "categorically untrue", saying its planning application is for accommodation for up to 1,256 asylum seekers.
The Government has been seeking alternative sites for asylum accommodation as it works towards ending the use of migrant hotels by 2029.
Piddington's vote has no legal mechanism to make the village independent from the UK, but campaigners say they hope it will send a message to politicians about the strength of local opposition.
