France has said it intends to close the camp in Calais known as "the jungle", where migrants gather to try to reach the UK.

Immigration Minister Eric Besson told French television that the illegal gathering of tents and shelters should close imminently.

Mr Besson said the closure would send a strong message that people traffickers could no longer use Calais.

The minister promised that the operation would be carried out humanely and that each illegal immigrant would be offered the chance to apply for asylum or to return voluntarily to their country of origin.

Many of the migrants come from Iraq and Afghanistan.

The minister insisted they would not be forcibly returned.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8260075.stm