French police deploy rubber bullets against migrants crossing to Britain

LONDON: Police in France used rubber bullets to prevent migrants trying to illegally travel across the English Channel to the UK, an investigation has found.

The first known case of gun deployment by authorities against illegal migrants is now being reviewed by French national police chiefs.

It comes as growing numbers of boats depart the French side of the strait under the cover of darkness in desperate attempts to reach Britain.

The shooting took place at Dunkirk as eight Iranian Kurds hauled a dinghy towards the water.