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The violent scenes – which included multiple stabbings – were sparked after a confrontation between around 200 Afghan and Sudanese refugees in the notorious migrant camp in northern France. Witnesses said migrants were armed with stones, batons and machetes. One migrant was reportedly shot. These same ultraviolent migrants are hoping to start new lives in Britain.

They seemed ready to fight. They were gathering stones, they had iron bars

Most of last night’s victims suffered stab wounds, while a riot policeman was hit in the chest with a slab of concrete and a volunteer was seriously injured after a missile was hurled at his face. Paramedics rushed 13 people to hospital - five of them are in a serious condition. Authorities said around 40 people, mainly migrants, as well as two policemen and five charity workers, were hurt during the violent scenes on Thursday. More than 250 police officers rushed to the incident.

IG Scores of people were injured in a mass brawl in the Calais Jungle

Local witness statements suggest some migrants may have taken advantage of the chaos to make attempts to smuggle themselves onto UK-bound lorries. Calais prefect Fabienne Buccio said such a violent outburst of violence was unprecedented in the migrant camp, which has been largely downsized by the French government. Ms Buccio said: “We’ve seen incidents like this before, but never to this extreme.” The French official, who spearheaded the plan to clear the Jungle, said no arrests had been made.

GETTY The scale of violence in the camp was unprecendented

Calais authorities said the scuffle broke at around 4.30pm local time as food was being handed out and the unrest was “stabilised” by around 18.30pm. The motive of the mass brawl is unknown, police said. Tents were set alight after the violence, as well as Médecins sans frontières (Doctors without borders) base, according to French newspaper La Voix du Nord,

IG Fires broke out after the mass brawl in the migrant camp

At least 70 firemen were deployed to deal with the fires which could be seen in the town centre of the port town. The flames were completely put out by 8pm. A local who lives near the Jungle said: “I heard something at around 5pm that sounded like a gun shot or tear gas being fired and shouting. “I left my house. I saw riot police who were asking where the injured officer was, then migrants who were carrying other injured migrants.”

Evacuation of Calais migrant camp Tue, June 21, 2016 A growing number of migrants seeking to reach Britain are trying to leave from the Belgium and France. Here are some of the scenes from the Calais migrant crisis in France... Play slideshow Photoshot 1 of 83 Mirants clash with police in Calais

The witness said he saw hundreds of migrants leaving the Jungle and heading for the ring road. The local added: “They seemed ready to fight. They were gathering stones, they had iron bars.

GETTY Many tents and shelters were set on fire in Calais as authorities cleared the camp