A controversial Ukip MEP says UN frigates should be used to stop immigrants jumping on dinghies bound for Europe and the UK.

Janice Atkinson was talking to News Shopper at her home in Chislehurst about standing in the 2015 general election alongside leader Nigel Farage.

She is set to contest a seat in Kent and will reveal where at a party conference in September.

Mrs Atkinson, 51, said she thinks the party has a "very strong chance" of gaining MPs and said if elected she would continue to fight immigration and push for a European exit.

She explained she has witnessed "human trafficking" at Kentish ports and said the European Union is at fault for prompting piracy.

Mrs Atkinson also mentioned the recent report that only 13,000 Romanians and Bulgarians coming into the UK since labour restrictions were lifted, claiming it is untrue.

She told News Shopper: "I’ve seen vans full of children. It’s human trafficking.

"I know what’s going on. Why do you think all our schools are full up? People aren’t having more children.

"The figure was during the ‘transitional controls’. What we’ve had is 100,000. They’ve come and are still coming."

Mrs Atkinson continued: "We’ve got to get frigates out in the sea to stop people getting on the dinghies - we need to go to the source in Turkey and North Africa.

"And the only reason we’ve got Somali pirates is because the EU has raped the sea around there. They’re desperate."

The former Conservative, who stood for Parliament in 2010 but lost out to Labour, said she wants to "debunk racism myths" surrounding her party.

During this year’s European elections Mrs Atkinson was photographed swearing at anti-UKIP campaigners.

She said: "One was an eco-socialist, one was a witch, and one was an anarchist.

"I’m a very controlled person - I was canvassing and this rag tag bob tail lot turned up and all the racism stuff kicked off. I made my feelings clear when they called us racist."