A GROUP of five would-be illegal immigrants in a lorry heading for Wellington were arrested in France.

The stowaways, all from Afghanistan, were discovered hiding in a German-registered freight vehicle by UK Border Agency officers in Calais.

They were handed over to the French border police and the vehicle was allowed to continue its journey to Somerset.

*The UK Border Agency, in partnership with the Serious Organised Crime Agency, is issuing a new leaflet with information and advice for lorry drivers on how to prevent illegal immigration - click on the Lorry crime prevention link on this story for details.

*For more on this story, see Thursday's Somerset County Gazette.