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France has agreed to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, after months of pressure from the UK.

This policy shift follows the British leader wrote to the President asking him to back the plan and saying there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.

French security forces will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to authoritative confirmation.

French authorities have rarely acted to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered too great a risk to both personnel and civilians.

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

Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson states officers will start intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.

Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible method to snarl the propellers of the boats.

This determination to intervene at all is a significant advancement, coming after a brief change towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which ceased when the former Interior Minister left government.

This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.

Now French authorities will once more be permitted to stop boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.

Strong winds are currently delaying the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking ways to adapt to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.

The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.

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