Almost four million people have been granted EU citizenship and the right to travel freely to Britain since 2009, official data revealed today.

New figures from Eurostat - the official statistics agency at the European Commission - revealed in 2014 alone citizenship was given to 890,000 people.

Vote Leave said more than 760,000 of those people were granted citizenship on the continent and insisted the figures illustrated the lack of control Britain had of its borders.

It said in the five years from 2009 to 2014, it totalled 3.96million people given citizenship in the other EU states.

EU citizenship grants access to freedom of movement rules but because Britain is not part of the Schengen borderless zone all EU citizens go through passport control at British ports.

The Eurostat data today revealed almost 900,000 people were given EU citizenship in 2014 - more than 750,000 by countries other than Britain. The EU stats agency said the biggest group came from the African continent, followed by European countries outside the EU

Vote Leave Chief Executive Matthew Elliott said: 'These figures show how little control we have over our borders while we stay in the EU.

'Since 2009, close to four million people have been given the right to come to the UK, with Moroccans, Albanians and Turkish citizens the main beneficiaries.

'The number of people coming to the EU is increasing each year and it is becoming unsustainable.

'This level of migration puts a strain on our invaluable public services, as well as jobs and wages. The British people are absolutely right to be concerned.

'However, today the Prime Minister's EU campaign chief endorsed comments referring to those that want to take back control of our borders, and leave the EU, as 'idiots'. I think that's appalling.

'The only way to take back control of how our country and our economy is governed is to vote to leave the EU on the 23 June.'

Today's Eurostat release revealed fewer people were granted EU citizenship in 2014 than in 2013, at 890,000 to 981,000.

Overall, including people granted citizenship in Britain, more than five million people were granted citizenship between 2009 and 2014 - almost 90 per cent of whom came from outside the EU.

In 2014, Moroccans benefited the most, with 92,700 people becoming citizens - mostly in Spain, Italy or France.

There were 41,000 Albanians, almost all of whom became citizens of Greece or Italy, and 37,500 Turks - 60 per cent of whom are now German.

The fourth biggest group in 2014 were Indians and almost two thirds of the 35,300 people became British.

The rate of citizenship in the UK is fractionally below the EU but higher than that of Germany. Sweden creates proportionally more new citizens than any other EU nation

A major think tank today warned net migration to Britain would continue to run at more than 250,000 a year for the next two decades even if Turkey does not join the EU.

If Turkey did join, another 100,000 people could come to Britain each year by the early 2030s, the think tank said.

Migrant Watch chairman Lord Green said the findings were a 'final wake up call' about runaway immigration that would see Britain's population his 80 million within 30 years.

Vote Leave champion Boris Johnson has repeatedly demanded David Cameron's Remain campaign spell out its vision for how Britain would adapt to a rapidly growing population if it wins on June 23.

A secret plan to open Britain's borders to 1.5million Turks was revealed yesterday after British diplomats said the move would act as a 'symbolic gesture to Turkey'.

Ukip leader Nigel Farage seized on migration against today to warn Britain had to 'get a grip' of the numbers coming in to the United Kingdom

The new research today will reignite the immigration debate at the heart of the referendum battle with just 10 days to go.

Official statistics in May revealing net migration from the EU had returned to record highs turned around the referendum campaign and turned the focus from the economy to borders.

Lord Green said: 'This report is a final wake up call.

'Even leaving aside the prospect of Turkey joining the EU, it shows that net migration could still be running at 265,000 a year in 20 years time.

'This would bring our population to 80 million within 30 years. If we remain in the EU there will be nothing to stop a continuing rapid increase in our population.