British family find Sudanese stowaway had clung to motorhome

A family returned home from trip to France to find a Sudanese stowaway had clung to the underside of their motor-home for four days.

The refugee snuck on board Mick and Lisa Patterson’s camper van when she returned from a two-week family holiday on the continent.

The family believe the man clung to the axle near Caen in Normandy, then held on for the 200 miles to Calais, then during the cross-channel ferry trip, and then extra 100 miles back to their home near Colchester, Essex.

A family from Essex found this man had clung to the bottom of their camper van from France

The man had clung to the axle of the family's camper as they made their way back from France

The man had clung to the axle of the family’s camper as they made their way back from France

When they returned to their rural home, they spotted the man looking lost on the street, and gave him a packet of Mini Cheddars and a bottle of Orangina while he waited for police and immigration authorities.

Recalling the moment they found the stowaway, Mrs Patterson said: ‘My son said there was a black man walking down the street.

‘We live in the sticks and no-one walks down here. I ran out and called him over. He was a really nice person from the English he spoke. 

‘We asked him how long he had been under there and he held his fingers up and said four. We said “four hours” and he said “no, days”. We just couldn’t believe it.’ 

‘I was so shocked. I asked him to show me where he had been and he went back under and showed me, he had been balancing across the back axle.

‘I couldn’t believe it. I did feel sorry for him, he was totally lost.’

Tesco worker Mrs Patterson, 50, had been on holiday with farm manager husband Mick, 50, and student daughter Summer, 17, and family friends. 

The family believe the 6ft man got into a three foot gap beneath their camper near Caen, when they saw another migrant trying to get in the back.

Lisa and Mick Patterson with their daughter Summer during the holiday in France

The couple said the man was polite and did not try to run away after they rang police

Left: Lisa and Mick Patterson with their daughter Summer during the holiday in France. The couple said the man was polite and did not try to run away after they rang police

This was the moment police arrived to arrest the man. The Home Office is dealing with him

This was the moment police arrived to arrest the man. The Home Office is dealing with him

Ms Patterson added: ‘We had stopped at a supermarket near Port Caen and had something to eat in the car park.’.

‘When I looked an immigrant was trying to get inside the van, we managed to pull him out.

‘When we got to the port we had a little walk, then the next morning moved to a site two hours away.’

Mrs Patterson was amazed they had not been stopped on their way through the ports.

She said: ‘I can’t believe how we got through border control. There were police standing around but they didn’t pull anyone over.’

This photo shows the small space next to the vehicle's axle where the man stowed away

This photo shows the small space next to the vehicle’s axle where the man stowed away

Earlier this year, British lorry drivers have warned Caen had become ‘the new Calais’.

They claimed the city is now the pressure point for illegal immigration after security was tightened at Calais.

A spokesman for the Home Office said: ‘Immigration Enforcement was contacted by Essex Police. A male who claimed to be from Sudan was arrested for immigration offences.

‘He was subsequently age assessed as a minor and passed into the care of social services. His case will be progressed in accordance with immigration rules.’

 



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