Security forces have held back some 1,000 African migrants who were trying to scale a big new fence between Morocco and the Spanish enclave of Melilla .

Hundreds have entered Spain by crossing the border at Melilla in recent months but authorities say that dense new ‘anti-climb’ mesh stopped the latest from making the attempt in their tracks.

Spain has beefed up security in Melilla and a second enclave along the coast, Ceuta, as the numbers seeking to enter have swelled, in part as a response to increased naval patrols that are discouraging attempts to get to Europe by boat.