Britain must take back its waters after French fisherman attacked UK boats in a row over scallops, Tory Eurosceptics have told Michael Gove as they accused him of "weakness".

Leaked WhatsApp messages reveal Tory MPs told the Environment Secretary that they felt "angry and badly let down" as they called for the Royal Navy to be put on standby to prevent future incidents.

They said French vessels should be banned from British waters after Brexit if they continue to behave in such an aggressive manner.

Mr Gove subsequently took the unusual step of intervening on the Whatsapp group himself in a bid to reassure his colleagues, saying he understood their concerns and that French vessels "were obviously acting illegally".

On Tuesday half a dozen British boats were rammed by French vessels and targeted with rocks, smoke bombs and other projectiles during an extraordinary confrontation off the coast of Normandy.

Owen Paterson, a Eurosceptic Tory MP, said on a WhatsApp group of Eurosceptic Tory MPs: "Our boats would not have to go over to French waters if they had fair access to our own.