Three men were found in a dinghy 10 miles off Dover on Sunday

Three illegal immigrants from Moldova were intercepted in a dinghy 10 miles from Dover on Sunday.

Three other men were picked up three miles from the Kent port in the same make of dinghy on 6 July and have since claimed asylum.

It is thought the men may be getting dropped off from motor boats halfway across the Channel and left to paddle to the UK.

It is understood Dover Coastguards and the local MP have been in touch with the Home Office to discuss suspicions over the two cases.

That's two we've pulled in like this in the last three weeks, I can't guess how many more have attempted it and not come across Dover Lifeboat coxswain Dave Pascall

It is estimated the men would have had to paddle for about 10 hours to get as close to the UK as they were when they were found.

But it is believed the condition of the men in both dinghies suggested they had not been in the water long enough to have paddled all the way from mainland Europe.

It is thought this may suggest the migrants may have been dropped off in a boat much nearer the Kent coast.

The fact that both groups were in identical dinghies - not considered suitable for crossing the Channel - has added to suspicions the cases may be linked.

Dover MP Gwyn Prosser said on Monday: "There could be organised traffickers using vessels to bring the dinghies across halfway or three-quarters of the way and then launch them into the sea.

Three men were picked up off Dover in an inflatable dinghy on 3 July

"We do not know yet but I have made two inquiries to the Home Office today."

Lifeboat coxswain Dave Pascall said: "This particular boat was a kiddies' boat, about eight feet long.

"It was a rubber dinghy that you would buy and use in a lake or very close inshore, certainly not suitable to go to sea and especially not in a place like the English Channel.

"That's two we've pulled in like this in the last three weeks, I can't guess how many more have attempted it and not come across."

He said in the past two weeks his crew had picked up two unidentified bodies in the Channel.