The bright orange dinghy was spotted on the beach at Walmer, near Deal, Kent, today

Three suspected illegal immigrants were detained this morning after they are thought to have crossed the English Channel from France in a bright orange rubber dinghy.

Police were called to the road on the remote seafront at Walmer, near Deal in Kent, at 9.15am after the three men were spotted by passers-by.

Officers detained the men as they walked along the road and handed them over to immigration officers.

John Varnham, 54, from Deal was out walking his dog when he came across the boat.

He said: 'I saw the three men being arrested by the police as I walked my dog down to the beach.

'It was only when I got to the beach that I saw the dinghy and realised what had happened.

'Their dinghy was on the beach nearby in Walmer with life jackets and lifebelts thrown across the beach.

'We saw along the beach at Walmer a bright orange dinghy washed up on the shore, and alongside it there were lifebelts.

'The dinghy would have been cramped for three people and had an outboard motor - it was about six to eight feet long.

'There was a torch, a drinks bottle and a petrol can.'

Their dinghy was found on the sandy beach close to 16th century-built Walmer Castle.

The building was the official residence of Sir Winston Churchill and later Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother in their official roles as Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports.

One theory is that the men transferred from a boat off the shore into the dinghy before beaching at Walmer rather than navigating the channel - crossing the busiest shipping lanes in the world.

A Kent Police spokesman said: 'Officers were called to Kingsdown Road, Deal at 9.15am on Saturday September 24 following reports of suspected migrants.

'Three men were detained and have been handed over the Home Office Immigration Enforcement.'

Officers detained the men as they walked along the road and handed them over to immigration officers

Dover and Deal MP Charlie Elphicke said: 'Yet again people traffickers have been able to land migrants on our shores by small craft.

'We must act now to catch and jail these criminals - and end their evil trade of modern slavery.

'This is why I have been calling for a new Dover Patrol led by the Royal Marines to protect our borders.'

A Home Office spokesman said: 'On Saturday September 24, officials from Immigration Enforcement were contacted by Kent police after three men were found in Deal, Kent.

'The individuals were arrested on suspicion of entering the UK illegally and are currently being interviewed by immigration officials.

'Where someone is found to have no right to remain in the UK, we will take action to remove them.

'It would not be appropriate to comment further while investigations are ongoing.'