GETTY Already this month, 1,200 people have breached Hungary's border fence

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Hungarian police say they are being overwhelmed, with 1,200 people already caught after breaking through the fence in February.



This marks a huge rise in the number of people managing to cross the fence, up from 550 in January and just 270 in December.



There are now more people entering Hungary than at this time last year - before the fence was even erected.

GETTY The 110-mile fence was constructed in September

The barrier, which was completed in September, initially caused controversy and sparked a migrant riot soon after completion, in which police used tear gas and water canons.



However, the fence was undoubtedly successful at first, with the number of people illegally crossing the country's 110-mile border with Serbia initially dropping considerably.



Before the fence was completed, around 4500 migrants were intercepted each day attempting to cross the Hungarian border. After the barrier was erected, the number dropped to just 15 people.

GETTY The fence originally drastically reduced the number of migrants attempting to cross into Hungary

However, migrants are once again increasingly managing to gain access to the country in huge numbers, mostly by using wire cutters or by climbing over the top of the fence.



Most of the people crossing the Hungarian border in this way are from Pakistan, Iran and Morocco, who are no longer being admitted through authorised routes as they are not deemed to be asylum seekers fleeing from war zones.

In response, Hungarian Interior Minister Sandor Pinter has closed three railway crossings to Croatia, to prevent migrants from walking down the track into the country.



There are also rumours that Hungary may build another fence, along the country's border with Romania.



Janos Lazar, head of the Hungarian prime minister’s office, is reported to have said: “Migration will restart in the spring, possibly putting pressure on our borders.



"We have to prepare for that and for the building of a fence on the border with Romania."

Borders across the world Sat, March 19, 2016 See the structures that are intended to prevent migrants from crossing the borders across the globe. Play slideshow EPA 1 of 26 Hungarian Army patrol the area along the temporary border fence on the Hungarian-Serbian border

B?r Benedek Despite its height and regular patrols, over 1,700 have already breached the fence in 2016