MINISTERS fear small boat crossings will spike during the France Olympics as police are diverted from Calais to Paris.
The Home Office has lobbied Emmanuel Macron’s government to keep a sizeable force on the Normandy beaches dedicated to stopping illegal migrants.
Britain is currently paying France almost £500million for its help thwarting people smuggling gangs.
And Home Secretary James Cleverly has already pledged UK security service expertise to help protect the Games from threats throughout July and August.
But government sources said there remains concern about police being moved from the beaches to the capital, which is set to draw 15million visitors.
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The summer is already the high period for Channel crossings as warmer weather makes the dangerous journey easier.
One insider told The Sun: “We’re making big representations over the Olympics and hope we can keep enough boots on the beaches.
“But if too many police are redeployed to Paris, things could take off.”
Officials are concerned the situation on the French shores is deteriorating, with more fights and gangs cramming ever more migrants into boats.
Mr Cleverly is understood to be buoyed by recent discussions with his French counterpart Gérald Darmanin about retaining a large police presence on the beaches.
A source close to the Home Secretary said: “We are as determined as France that they have a successful and safe Olympics and know they have thought carefully and professionally about how to achieve this.
“We have discussed this and were encouraged by their willingness to achieve both that aim and a maintenance of the effective work they have been doing to help us stop the boats.”
