Hollande: Our urgent task to shut the Jungle

FRENCH President Francois Hollande has called for the refugee camp known as the Calais Jungle to be shut down as soon as possible.

The closure – which would see the camp’s 10,000 inhabitants, including 1,179 children, relocated to reception centres across France – would come as a huge relief to British drivers, many of whom have been attacked by migrants looking to hide in their vehicles and sneak into the UK.

The Jungle has seen scenes of squalor and violence, with desperate migrants fighting with truck drivers and throwing trees and mattresses in front of lorries in a bid to force them to stop.

Mr Hollande, who is due to visit the Jungle tomorrow, said: ‘There should be no camp in France. The most urgent task is to remove the camp in Calais and provide shelter for refugees.’

But last night charity leaders warned the closure could see refugees being forced to sleep on the streets and suffering even poorer living conditions.