A TRANSPORT firm from East Lancashire was at the centre of a second police swoop on stowaways in the space of a week, it was revealed today.

A driver from Wilfrid Holden Transport Ltd was travelling along the M2 in Kent when he noticed a hand waving from his trailer.

The driver, who had just returned to Dover from France, used the telephone in his cab to alert police who intercepted the lorry and arrested three Albanians. It is believed the stowaways climbed aboard when the driver went to the ferry office at Calais docks. The three Albanians, who have applied to remain in Britain, were taken to Chatham police station before being passed over to immigration officers.

Last week a driver from Accrington, who works for the same firm, was at the centre of a swoop by police who found 24 stowaways in the back of his trailer in Chelmsford, Essex. The driver, who had returned to England from Spain, became suspicious after he saw a hand waving from the back of his lorry. He carried on driving until he spotted a police car and raised the alarm. Police found 22 men, a woman and a boy in the trailer.

Other East Lancashire firms have had similar problems. In two separate incidents over the last few weeks, one firm discovered it was carrying 32 stowaways.

Wilfrid Holden has pledged to step up security procedures following the latest incident. The company, which has a fleet of 35 vehicles and employs 65 staff from its premises in Feniscowles and Darwen, currently has 14 lorries on overseas runs. General manager Stephen Pooley said: "It's upsetting the drivers. They are worried the finger may be pointed at them. There are rumours that drivers are being offered money to take people across the Channel.

"We have introduced new security procedures as of today. Our drivers will be making more inspections at specific points and times along the route.

The firm said it was extremely concerned about the disruption the incidents had caused.

A Home Office spokesman said: "The lorry driver realised there was something wrong and alerted the police. The immigration authorities are considering the three Albanians' applications to stay in Britain."

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