Migrants found in lorry at North Shields ferry terminal

The group were discovered in a lorry that arrived at the North Shields ferry terminal

Twenty migrants have been found in the back of a lorry arriving at a ferry terminal in North Shields, the Home Office has confirmed.

The group, from Syria and Albania, were discovered in a vehicle which had travelled to the UK from the Netherlands on a DFDS ferry on Tuesday.

Fifteen were returned to the Netherlands and two men, one understood to be the lorry driver, were arrested.

Terminal operator, the Port of Tyne, said passenger services were not hit.

'Sniffer dogs'

A Home Office spokesman said: "Two claiming to be minors have been passed to social services for age-assessment and two adults are in immigration detention while their cases are progressed."

A 35-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of facilitation of illegal immigration and has been detained.

A Polish man aged 32 was detained after also being arrested on suspicion of facilitating illegal immigration.

The Home Office said sniffer dogs, heartbeat detectors and carbon dioxide probes are used to "find people hiding in vehicles and freight".

A DFDS spokesman added: "We can confirm that a group of clandestines were discovered and detained at North Shields.

"We are not able to comment further on this case as this is now a matter for the authorities."