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Stowaways flee lorry
Friday 2nd November 2007, 11:50AM GMT.
Shocked motorists watched around 20 illegal immigrants knife their way out of a lorry and leap into two lanes of traffic on a Black Country dual carriageway.
The stowaways ripped open the side of the lorry from the inside before leaping out on to the A41 Expressway and fleeing into trees and bushes.
The men, of Eastern European appearance, made their escape as the lorry neared West Bromwich fire station.
Drivers were forced to slam on their brakes to avoid the men as they ran on to the carriageway. One driver, 48-year-old Paul Line from Aldridge, said: “I was sitting in traffic behind the lorry when I saw a knife cut through the tarpaulin on the side of the lorry.
“I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. The right-hand side opened up and about 20 people came out into the traffic, almost falling out of the side one after another.”
Read the full story in the Express & Star.
Shocked motorists watched around 20 illegal immigrants knife their way out of a lorry and leap into two lanes of traffic on a Black Country dual carriageway.
The stowaways ripped open the side of the lorry from the inside before leaping out on to the A41 Expressway and fleeing into trees and bushes.
The men, of Eastern European appearance, made their escape as the lorry neared West Bromwich fire station.
Drivers were forced to slam on their brakes to avoid the men as they ran on to the carriageway. One driver, 48-year-old Paul Line from Aldridge, said: “I was sitting in traffic behind the lorry when I saw a knife cut through the tarpaulin on the side of the lorry.
“I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. The right-hand side opened up and about 20 people came out into the traffic, almost falling out of the side one after another.”
The cream soft-sided lorry was at the island when the bizarre escape happened at around 3.20pm yesterday. It drove off before police could stop it. Mr Line said a number of motorists used mobile phones to alert police.
He added: “Whether the driver of the lorry knew what was going on, I have no idea. The people that fell out of the lorry looked as though they were all men, although there could have been women or even children.”
“They just ran for it, straight across the dual carriageway and into the path of oncoming traffic. It was absolute chaos.
“Then they just split up and seemed to disappear into bushes around the area.
“I can honestly say I have never seen anything like it.”
Catherine Preece, spokeswoman for West Midlands Police confirmed police attended the scene, but could find nothing to suggest what had happened.
She said that if the incident did involve immigrants it would be an issue for the immigration services, not the police, as no criminal act had taken place.
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They obviously knew they were approaching the Hawthornes and wanted to get away before Mowbury tried to sign them.
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Lol – your comment made me laugh so much Ian!!
Guess that’s another bunch to add to the growing number already taking our houses and jobs !!!!!
This country is far to easy to get into!
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What a great security system we have on this country. The Government need a good slapping for this lot……
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This shows in prove that the goverment in placed bodys, nor uk port and tunnal customs controler take little interest,nor the time in fully checking the incomming HGVs,reguardless how long it takes in checking each HGV before they leaves custom termiuses nor are the termiuse polices doing there duties in controling stowaway. ilegal immigrates,as this is not the first time stowaways have entered into the UK
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Boing Boing?!?
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God forbid one of the drivers accidentally hitting these poor-souls, imagine the claims, benefits and compo they could have been awarded!
What an absolute joke this country has turned into.
My girlfriend was recently barred from bringing a babies’ christening spoon through customs for a flight from Edinburgh to Birmingham – yet a truck full of illegals can make it untouched from 1000s of miles away & as far away from a port as you could possibly be. Absolutely laughable – with, doubtless, liberal do-gooders chasing them down to dish out houses & grants in the name of ‘human rights’.
The govt should be ashamed of themselves.
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I’m a baggies fan, but blimey, comment 1 made me laugh!
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how many times does this happen tho? scary innit?
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So much for Immigration Officers at British Borders!
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Oh well…. I suppose that will be 20 more in the queue at the Benefit and Housing Office monday morning.
I wonder how many of them are criminals that will commit crimes now they are here but will not get sent back to their home country because in will infringe on THEIR human rights !
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If they had dropped litter then I bet the police could have done something sooner.
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Well if this can happen I guess the UK is well and truly shafted!
But why pick West Bromwich to bail out? Maybe they could smell Burger King?
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Why is anybody surprised by this, I was asked to bring illegals in from Ostend i refused, i watched over 40 illegals being loaded into two trucks. On coming into Dover i informed the customs and immigration service of the vehicle numbers and the fact they had illegals inside.
I was told “we are not interested unless its drugs” i watched these trucks come through customs and out onto the M2 no problem.
So don’t believe the crap when the Home Office states its doing its best.
Get snouts out the trough party
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So the British government still doing nothing to stem the flow I see. I am an expat now living in Australia and I can tell you it doesnt happen here, mainly because the average ozzie will not tolerate the government expecting the hardworking people to put up with it. Customs and exise should make regular visits / checks and deport em all(incuding the bloody liberal do-gooders with em). How much longer can the system continue to support illegal immigrants
???
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Maybe they have heard about the manpower shortages in the British forces, and have come to join up and do a bit of fighting for us (I don’t think)If it was’nt so serious it would be laughable.
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i note the part where the spokes person for the police says, it’s nowt to do with us, but the immigration service, just another way to palm the book to some one else thats the trouble realy no one will step forward and take responsability,for what is going on,
How do you go about sorting this problem, if the police dont want to know,
we all need to step to the fore, and report these incidents, but now’s there’s a question?
Whom to,??? it’s a joke.
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They probably have already set up a car wash and reaping in benefits and already have fully furnished flats. Poor souls.
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Just another thought….Why is it when they claim that they’re fleeing their terrible country (according to human rights campaigners), they cross 10 other countries (France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, etc, etc) to get here. Surely if its so bad, they’d just be happy to get into the boardering country? Soft touch Britain again I guess!
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I go across the channel, from dover to calais,, usually in the early hours when its a lot quieter,, the last 3 times I have not even been asked to produce a passport! and as for coming back through dover its a complete joke!
besides the illegral immigrants whats the point of heavy security measures on flights when you can drive without any problems!
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Rob, the reason they dont stay in neighbouring countries is that in the UK we have gangs running sweat shops where there is a profit to be made in easter european countries they wouldnt be able to get benefits or anything like that because they dont offer it and its not available.
People you have to rememeber some of these people are told they are going to a better life when actually they have a pretty crap time when they get her, NO I am not up for imigrants coming here, that has to stop but try and rememeber its not the individuals fault its the gangs that arrange these crossings to make money. Remember they are not sitting at home eating their Sunday dinner watching Eastenders and suddenly think “you know what I am going to pay some gangs some money to get me into the UK where I can receive abuse, earn £10 a week and live in a squat” those countries are in very dire situations but we just dont hear about it.
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Dee,
Unfortunately as we see week in and week out billions are given to the governments of the countries some of these illegal s come from by England, look at the palaces, planes and cars bought by our money donated to these people by their Presidents or dictators.
I ask the question yet again why do they rip up their passports before they get here. If this rotten and corrupt government of ours put notices in these countries stating you will get no funding if you come here illegally do you think they would come here then.
I worked for thirty years in continental transport and this could have been stopped easy but this government doesn’t want that.
Remember the machines built to be used in Calais and Dover etc by the English government whereby when a truck or trailer was driven through it it would show up people in them, do you remember the little gas bottles and hoses which when sprayed into the tilt or box trailer it would again show if any one was in the truck.
I have a great deal of sympathy with genuine asylum seekers but non whatsoever with the chancers. The job of customs and immigration is to let em in not stop them.
We are told by our presidents we need these people to do jobs the English don’t want, well you see English roadsweepers, sewage workers, drain cleaners, cleaners, toilet cleaners so why are we constantly told the English do not want these jobs. Utter lies.
How ever did we manage before these asylum seekers arrived here:))
Get snouts out the trough party
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REPLY TO DEE;
SEE DUBAI. HAVING GOT THEM TO BUILD THE NEW SKYSCRAPERS DUBAI IS TRYING TO EXPEL 4000 IMMIGRANT WORKERS.THEY ARE SAID TO EARN PEANUTS REALLY PEANUTS AND THEIR LIVING CONDITIONS ARE FRIGHTFUL.
THESE GUYS DID OLIVER ASKS FOR MORE.IE MORE WAGES AND…..MORE BUSES TO GET TO AND FROM WORK!
ANY COMMENTS FROM PEOPLE IN THE UK BUYING FLATS THERE… OR PEOPLE FROM INDIA OR PAKISTAN OR BANGLADESH WHO HAVE FAMILY WHO WORK THERE IN DUBAI?
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Wake up england
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GOD KNOWS WHAT THESE PEOPLE HAVE GOT OR WHO THEY ARE MURDERERS RAPISTS,THIEVES ETC,FIND THEM AND SEND THEM BACK ASAP,AND WE WONDER WHY THESE PEOPLE GET 14 POUNDS A DAY WORKING ON FARMS ,GOD HELP OUR KIDS THEY’VE GOT NO CHANCE.
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WE SOULD PUT ALL 17YEAR OLD PLUS MALE ASYLUM SEEKERS STRAIGHT INTO THE ARMED FORCES FOR A MINIMUM OF 3 YEARS , THEN YOU HAVE GAINED SOME KIND OF BENEFIT FROM THEM ,IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY DURING WW2 DIFFERANT NATIONALITIES( INDIAN,POLISH,ETC)FOUGHT WITH OUR COUNTRY AGAINST ADOLF AND EARNED THE PASSPORT AND SUPPORT OF BRITISH PEOPLE— WE WILL SEE NO SUCH SACRIFICE FOR THE ILLEGALS THIS TIME ROUND , AND TO ALL THE HUMAN RIGHTS MORONS-IF THIS COUNTRY IS SO BAD THEN ALL THE IMMIGRANTS HAVE TO DO IS GO AND HAND THEMSELVES INTO THE NEAREST POLICE STATION AND ASK FOR DEPORTATION , I WOULD PERSONALLY HIRE EX ARMED FORCES TO ROUND ALL ILLEGALS FOR DEPORTING AND MASSIVELY INCREASE MANPOWER ON BORDER CONTROL THIS WOULD BE A START…..
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hi Sarah.
So you dont like em then?
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