THIRTEEN illegal immigrants were arrested in ERF Way in Middlewich on Monday evening.

Seven Iraqi men and six Iranians, including a husband, wife and 17-year-old were arrested by police officers on suspicion of entering the UK illegally.

The 12 adults were placed in immigration detention to await interview, while the minor was referred to Social Services for age assessment.

A 60-year-old German man, the driver of the lorry, was also arrested by Immigration Enforcement Criminal Investigation officers on suspicion of facilitating a breach of the UK’s immigration laws.

An eyewitness told the Guardian that a police car had turned up to the lorry, near Wincanton on ERF Way, at around 5pm on Monday.

He said: “I thought it was two people at first but, they were all hidden down the side. It was an articulated lorry from Germany.

“It was just one police car, then there were a couple more transporters that turned up. There are constantly trucks parked up there at night.”

A Home Office spokesperson said: “Where someone is found to have no right to remain in the UK, we will take action to remove them.”

Wincanton were approached for comment but were unavailable at the time of publication.