LIFEBOATS were launched this afternoon to rescue dozens of people, believed to be migrants who have arrived on a Sussex beach.

Pictures show dozens of migrants being taken ashore on Hastings beach by a RNLI team as police stand by.

The group is thought to have arrived at around 12pm today.

A source on the scene said that there were five children in the group.

Further sources say that after they were kept on the beach, the people were taken away in coaches at around 2pm by Border Control officials.

A spokesman for Sussex Police said: "Police were made aware of a group of suspected migrants arriving at Hastings, by the lifeboat station, at midday on Thursday November 11."

RNLI and the Home Office have been contacted for comment.

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