Coach driver discovers illegal immigrant below rear axle after 110-mile trip

A travel company owner who caught an illegal immigrant under his coach fears that he could be fined up to £2,000

Ross Patrick, 58, discovered a black male in his 20s perched underneath the rear axle as he dropped off holidaymakers in Newhaven on Wednesday night.

He believes the man had been underneath his coach for nearly 6 hours as it travelled through the Eurotunnel and then along the M25 and M23 to Sussex.

Mr Patrick heard banging and yelling from underneath the bus as about 20 passengers disembarked after a two-day trip to Boulogne-sur-Mer, organised by Mr Patrick’s company Victoria Travel Sussex Ltd.

He said: “I could not believe he had been under the bus all that time.

“He had obviously realised he was in England and was yelling to me to stop so he could get away.

“But I called the police straight away and they escorted me to Newhaven Docks where he was arrested by immigration police.”

Mr Patrick said he was “shocked” as he was then told he could face a fine for transporting the man into the country and fears it would stunt his recently launched business

He said: “The risk of being fined gives people like me no incentive to help the officials and makes me wonder if it’s worth travelling abroad at all.

“I only launched the company two and a half years ago and if I’m fined it will have a serious affect on my livelihood.”