Summary

  • 39 bodies are found in a container in Grays, Essex

  • Essex Police launch murder investigation

  • Essex's Deputy Chief Constable confirms there were no survivors found in the container

  • A 25-year-old man from Northern Ireland has been arrested on suspicion of murder

  • Police originally believe the lorry travelled to Grays from Holyhead in Wales

  • Investigators said they now believed the trailer arrived in Purfleet from Belgium this morning, while the tractor unit originated in Northern Ireland

Live Reporting

Phil Shepka, Andrew Woodger and Richard Haugh

  1. 'There's a lot of police and forensics'

    A restaurant worker on the Waterglade Industrial Park said the area where 39 bodies were found by police was cordoned off this morning.

    "There's a lot of police and forensics," the Big Blue Food Bus employee told the PA news agency.

    "We've just seen what has been said online. It's awful. We thought maybe someone had broken into a lorry, but it's just awful."

  2. What do we know?

    The 39 bodies were discovered in the early hours of Wednesday at Waterglade Industrial Park in Eastern Avenue, Grays.

    It is thought that 38 adults and one teenager have died but police have said identification could be a "lengthy process".

    Essex Police said the lorry is from Bulgaria and entered Wales via Holyhead, Anglesey, on Saturday.

    The lorry driver, a 25-year-old man from Northern Ireland, has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

  3. Thirty-nine bodies found in container

    The bodies of 39 people have been found in a lorry container in Essex.

    A 25-year-old man from Northern Ireland has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

    We'll be bringing you updates and picture from the scenes as and when we get them.