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France has agreed to start intercepting small boats in the Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the UK.

This policy shift follows the British leader sent a letter to the French leader asking him to support the plan and stating there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.

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

French authorities have infrequently acted to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered too great a risk to both personnel and individuals.

"It is crucial that we implement these methods this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."

Now, a French naval police representative says officers will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.

Notably, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential method to disable the engines of the vessels.

The decision to intervene at all is a significant step forward, coming after a short-lived shift towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from office.

That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.

Now French officials will once more be permitted to intercept boats before they pick up migrant individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.

Strong winds are currently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for methods to adjust to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.

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

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