African migrants storm Cueta defences

Around 300 migrants have stormed fences separating Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta from Morocco – with 116 of them making it on to European soil.

Seven policemen were burned by acid and quicklime, a skin irritant, allegedly thrown by some of the migrants as they overran border defences, the Guardia Civil said.

Five of the immigrants who got into Ceuta required hospital treatment for their injuries, the statement added.

The migrants launched their assault at around 9am local time (9am BST), just as many Moroccan police were at an open-air prayer ceremony marking the start of annual festivities.

The assault came a month after just over 600 migrants got past the high, barbed-wire fences in the year’s biggest assault.

Sub-saharan Africans living illegally in Morocco try to enter Europe each year by scaling fences surrounding Ceuta and Melilla, Spain’s other North African enclave.