Theresa May and Emmanuel Macron’s immigration deal branded ‘a gift for human traffickers’

Full-scale riots broke out on an industrial estate near the site of the so-called Jungle camp last week with more than 100 migrants pelting police with rocks and stones. 

The violence has raised tensions in the French port after residents felt the situation had been brought under control. 

This week social workers and agencies trying to care for the migrants are expected to start selecting youngsters who will be sent to Britain under the deal worked out between French President Macron and Mrs May this month.

However, Philippe Mignonet, the deputy mayor of Calais, says the new arrangement has made the situation much worse on the ground. 

Under the deal the British Government will give £44million towards improving security at Calais and has agreed to take an unspecified number of young migrants. 

Mr Mignonet said: “What they said has been a gift for the human traffickers and criminals in Calais. They are now saying to those in their networks to bring more migrants to Calais because eventually you will go to England. 

“We think hundreds more have arrived since the two leaders met and hundreds more are on the way. This has not been a deterrent – it is encouraging more to come to Calais.” 

After the jungle camp was razed to the ground, numbers dropped dramatically with migrants spreading out across northern France. 

Many young migrants came to Britain two years ago but questions were raised because some of the “children” looked more like men in their 20s, even early 30s. 

Numbers of migrants in Calais, many from Eritrea, Ethiopia and Afghanistan, are expected to reach 1,000 by the end of February. 

On a visit to Calais this month President Macron promised there would never be a camp set up again. 

Following that pronouncement 50 riot police set about dismantling a makeshift camp in woods where about 300 migrants had access to one cold water tap. 

On Thursday police removed tents and jostled with migrants, prompting rioting which went on for about an hour. 

Mr Mignonet took photographs of the violence and has sent them to France’s Interior Minister Gerard Collomb in Paris because he is concerned about the escalation of violence.

He said: “They were some of the worst scenes I have seen. Big rocks were being thrown at the police. The police had to respond but it is very unfortunate one of the migrants was hit in the face with a gas canister. I think this person may lose an eye but we will see. 

“The situation is very tense, very angry and I am afraid I don’t think it will get much better soon, especially with more coming because of what the British Prime Minister and President Macron have said. 

“We have asked for a further 100 million euros from the government in Paris to deal with this situation. 

“The problem is the money coming from Britain will go on more fencing and more CCTV. Calais already looks like Berlin after the Second World War. 

“What we want is an Anglo-French police headquarters in Calais to get on top of the criminal operations running human trafficking. 

“I would welcome British police here in Calais working with our police. This is where the money should be spent, not on more fencing and cameras.” 

The effort to encourage closer links with England has been taken up by local people. 

A wooden model of Tower Bridge has been built on a roundabout near Calais’s town hall and some buses have Union Flags painted on them. 

Mr Mignonet said: “The border with England is in Calais, so of course there are close ties.” 

He wants Mrs May to visit Calais privately so she can fully understand what is happening.

Mr Mignonet said pro-migration group No Borders has been encouraging migrants to camp there: “They think they are helping but they are not because they are making the situation worse.”