France is closing a camp close to the Channel Tunnel near Calais. It is known as 'the jungle' and houses hundreds of people who have been caught attempting to reach Great Britain, many of them were discovered hidden in lorries.

The circumstances in the camp are reported to be poor and people traffickers are said to operate there. French Immigration Minister Eric Besson says it will close by the end of next week. Illegal immigrants at the camp will get the chance to apply for asylum. They will also be able to return voluntarily to their country of origin.

Photo: Calais (Flickr / Martin Deutsch)