Britain set to spend £45m on Calais border to keep France on side for Brexit talks

Britain is set to announce a deal with France to pay around £45m to help improve security and border controls between the Channel.

Money primarily aimed at supporting officials in Calais will be spent on fencing, CCTV and new detection technology.

The announcement is expected later today as part of French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to the UK for a joint summit with Prime Minister Theresa May.

On top of the deal, Britain is also thought to be prepared to take in more migrant children from Calais, according to the BBC.

It will be the French president's first trip to the UK since he assumed power in May 2017.

During his election campaign, Macron said that he wanted to scrap the 2003 Le Touquet agreement which first implemented the French border controls in Calais. This has prevented hundreds of undocumented migrants from accessing the UK.

France is seen as an important partner to have on side as Brexit talks enter their second phase, and while Angela Merkel is temporarily distracted by domestic issues in Germany, Macron has become Europe's leading figure.

A government spokesperson said: "Just as we invest in our borders around the rest of the UK, it is only right that we constantly monitor whether there is more we can be doing at the UK border controls in France and Belgium to ensure they are as secure as possible."

Also set to be confirmed today, is the widely reported news that the Bayeux Tapestry is set to be loaned to the UK.

The tapestry which depicts the Norman Conquest of England isn't expected in the UK until 2020, and is subject to tests to confirm whether the 950-year-old artefact can be safely moved.