100 asylum seekers caught in Eurotunnel

Another group of up to 100 illegal immigrants has been caught trying to get into Britain through the Channel Tunnel.

Another group of up to 100 illegal immigrants has been caught trying to get into Britain through the Channel Tunnel.

Passenger services through the tunnel were delayed for several hours and freight services were suspended after the group was caught inside the Euro-tunnel compound at Coquelle, north of Calais.

The attempt came as a newspaper report claims British Home Secretary Mr David Blunkett had asked the French government to shut down the nearby Red Cross camp at Sangatte, where it is believed the group is from.

Forty-four Afghans were found trying to walk through the tunnel on Wednesday.

READ MORE

They had come from the camp at Sangatte, which is just half a mile from the tunnel entrance, as did the 80 illegal immigrants who tried to break into the Eurotunnel compound on Thursday.

The Sunday Telegraph reports that Mr Blunkett told the French interior minister Daniel Vaillant in a telephone call that the camp is not helping Britain combat the problem of illegal immigration.

Eurotunnel, which operates the tunnel and which faces the threat of sizeable fines for every illegal immigrant who gets through, has begun legal action in the French courts in an attempt to force Sangatte's closure.

Sangatte holds up to 700 refugees, mostly Kurds from Iraq, and Afghans.

A British Home Office spokesman would not confirm that Mr Blunkett had asked for Sangatte to be closed.

PA