An asylum seeker has travelled from Calais to within eight miles of the British coastline in an inflatable kayak.

The Iranian man, aged around 30, is believed to have been spotted by a cross-channel ferry late last week, before a UK border force vessel was dispatched to pick him up.

It is thought to be the first time someone seeking asylum has attempted to make the 20-mile crossing alone in a kayak.

The man, believed to have been living in the Jungle camp before it was closed last week, is now reportedly being detained at an immigration centre in Croydon, London, and being assessed under an immigration procedure known as 'Detained Fast Track' (DFT).

He claims he converted to Christianity in Iran and was persecuted as a consequence, according to Sky News. According to reports, the man told people in the Jungle he was a software engineer before he had left his country.

The Jungle was officially closed last week after a state operation in which authorities transported more than 6,000 adults by bus to reception centres across France, where their asylum claims will be assessed.

But hundreds, if not thousands, are believed to have fled the state operation in the hope of finding their own way to the UK.

Meanwhile, more than 1,000 unaccompanied minors have been living in shipping containers in the camp, where they have been largely unsupervised with limited food and water.

French authorities announced the children would be taken to children’s homes in France from 8am on Wednesday.

Calais refugee camp evacuation Show all 15 1 /15 Calais refugee camp evacuation Calais refugee camp evacuation Refugees run past a fire in the makeshift migrant camp known as 'the jungle' in Calais, October 2016 AP Calais refugee camp evacuation French authorities say the closure of the slum-like camp in Calais will last approximately a week in what they describe as a "humanitarian" operation, October 2016 AP Calais refugee camp evacuation A painted message saying 'Bye Jungle' on a tent in the camp in Calais, October 2016 Getty Calais refugee camp evacuation Refugees set rubbish bins alight as a protest in the makeshift camp 'the Jungle' in Calais, France, October 2016 EPA Calais refugee camp evacuation French riot police advance through tear gas and smoke from a fire to disperse refugees throwing stones and lighting fires at the Jungle migrant camp Getty Calais refugee camp evacuation French CRS riot police secure an area on the eve of the evacuation and transfer of refugees to reception centers in France Reuters Calais refugee camp evacuation Journalists run away from smoke during clashes near a makeshift refugee camp known as 'the jungle' in Calais AP Calais refugee camp evacuation French CRS riot police secure an area on the eve of the evacuation and transfer of refugees to reception centers in Franc Reuters Calais refugee camp evacuation Migrants queue for transportation by bus to reception centres across France, from the 'Jungle' refugee camp in Calais Getty Calais refugee camp evacuation Refugees line-up to register at a processing centre in the 'jungle' near Calais, northern France, as the mass exodus from the migrant camp begins PA wire Calais refugee camp evacuation Refugees with luggage walk past a graffiti on a wall as they leave the 'Jungle' migrant camp, as part of a major three-day operation planned to clear the camp in Calais Getty Calais refugee camp evacuation French far-right Front National (FN) party's member of parliament Marion Marechal-Le Pen (L) delivers a speech next to a banner reading "They arrive in Vaucluse, no migrants in our place" as she attends a rally against the hosting of refugees in La Tour d'Aigues Getty Images Calais refugee camp evacuation French police forces secure the area near the 'Jungle' refugee camp in Calais Getty Calais refugee camp evacuation Refugees leave messages on their tents in the Jungle migrant camp Getty Calais refugee camp evacuation Refugees carry their belongings and transfer to reception centers in France

While charities welcome the news, they urge the processing of children who may be eligible to come to the UK must not be delayed further.

Rabbi Janet Darley, from Citizens UK, said: “Whilst we welcome the move to accommodate unaccompanied children away from the containers, where they could not be properly safeguarded, this cannot be used as a reason to delay the transfer of those who have a legal right to come to the UK.

"We call on the British and French governments to work together to resume transfers and quickly allocate all the children accommodation so that they can start to rebuild their lives as swiftly as possible."