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France has agreed to start stopping small boats in the Channel, following months of insistence from the UK.

This policy shift comes after the British leader wrote to the President urging him to back the initiative and stating there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.

French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.

French police have infrequently intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both officers and individuals.

"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel waters."

Now, a French maritime police spokesperson states officers will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.

Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential method to snarl the propellers of the vessels.

This determination to take action at all is a major advancement, coming after a short-lived shift towards a stricter strategy this summer, which dropped off when the previous government official left office.

This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.

Now French authorities will once more be permitted to stop boats before they collect migrant individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.

Strong winds are presently delaying the start of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for methods to adapt to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the past.

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

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