EIGHT Kosovan refugees have claimed asylum after they were discovered in the back of a truck delivering fruit to a Cuddington dairy factory.

Shocked workers at Eden Vale alerted police to the scene after they heard noises inside the canvas-sided truck when they came to unload it at 2.30pm last Thursday.

After Northwich police officers inspected the German-registered lorry they found three women, aged between 21 and 34 and three men, two of whom were in their 20s and one believed to be 46 years old.

A five-year-old girl and 12-year-old boy were also discovered hiding among the metal containers of fruit.

One factory worker said: "Because the lorry they were in contained fruit it had to be kept really cool like a fridge, so I don't know how they managed to survive the journey.

"They were taken to the first aid room to calm down while we waited for the police to arrive."

Two of the men were initially detained by immigration officials after being served with illegal entry notices, but were released on Saturday, along with the German truck driver.

A spokesman for the Home Office said the illegal immigrants, who have been transferred to Liverpool and are being supported by the National Asylum Support Service, now face an anxious wait while their claims are considered.

He added: "We don't know exactly where they got inside but it is believed the lorry had taken a standard route from Europe to Dover and through the south coast."

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