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Leyland-bound stowaways found
EIGHTEEN stowaways have been discovered hiding in lorries bound for Leyland.
One of the vehicles contained five children.
Along with eight adults, they were found buried among cargo and clinging to the undersides of the wagon.
The would-be illegal immigrants, from Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan, were 'sniffed out' at Calais and Dunkirk ferry ports by UK Border Agency body detection dogs, including Connor, a four-year-old Springer Spaniel.
One German-registered wagon, laden with electrical goods heading for Leyland, contained the largest contingent, six Iraqis, four Afghans and three Iranians.
The other vehicles, containing motorcycles loaded at Italy, and soda ash were heading for Wigan and Warrington.
The lorry drivers or owners now face fines up to 2,000 per stowaway if they are found not to have taken adequate steps to make sure their wagons were secure.
A spokesman for the UK Border Agency said the men would have hidden in the vehicles before they arrived at the ports.
He added: "We base staff over in France to catch them before they land on UK soil and it is working.
"The lorry drivers and hauliers are aware of the rules and know that they are responsible for checking their vehicles and making sure they are secure."
UK Border Agency Regional Director Carole Upshall added: "This is exactly why we base UK Border Agency staff in France – to stop illegal immigrants before they can reach the UK. As well as using sniffer dogs we use heartbeat detectors and carbon dioxide probes to detect people hiding in vehicles."
Last year a coach full of pupils from Preston was held up on their way back from a French trip after a stowaway was found clinging to the underside of their coach.
The pupils from All Hallows Catholic High School in Penwortham were kept aboard the man was taken away.
Preston-based driver Tony Burridge said: "Going through Calais you don't stop after about two hours from port and I've known people with punctures keep going and roll into port with smoke and burning rubber pouring from the wheels."
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Weather for Leyland
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
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Temperature: 14 C to 20 C
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