Decathlon will no longer sell canoes in its stores in Calais and Grande Synthe in Northern France to prevent migrants from using them to cross the Channel.

The Guardian reports: "The purchase of canoes will no longer be possible" in the Decathlon stores in Calais and Grande-Synthe, near Dunkirk, "given the current context", the group said.

These articles in fact "were not used for their original sporting purpose", but "could be used to cross the Channel" and in these cases "people's lives would be in danger".

Only yesterday hundreds of migrants crossed the Channel. On Friday three migrants were found missing after attempting the crossing by canoe, while the day before two canoes were found adrift off the coast of Calais and two migrants were rescued at sea. According to the UK's Home Office, a record 1,185 people landed in southern England on small boats last Thursday compared to 853 in the previous record set earlier this month.

(Unioneonline / L)