At least five men, including two security guards, have been shot dead around a migrant camp in northern France.

The bloodbath unfolded near the beach at Loon Plage, close to Dunkirk, from where small boats regularly set off to Britain.

Special forces police were called to the camp on the Mardyck Road soon after 4pm on Saturday after reports of “a lone gunman killing people”, said an investigating source.

The source added: “Four people were shot dead around the camp on the Mardyck Road – two security guards and two migrants.

“The gunman is also said to have shot a transport manager earlier in the afternoon on Saturday.”

First victim killed in front of family

The migrants are said to be of Kurdish origin, and died of gunshot wounds near an oil refinery.

Soon afterwards, the gunman is reported to have killed two security guards who were guarding corporate premises nearby.

The first fatal shooting is said to have happened at Wormhout, some 15 miles inland from Dunkirk, earlier on Saturday afternoon.

The victim was said to be in his 30s, and was “killed in front of his relatives, in what looked like a targeted assassination”,  said the source.