Illegal immigrants flee after escaping lorry

Illegal immigrants from Afghanistan smashed their way out of the back of a lorry as it travelled through the West Midlands, before fleeing into fields.

Police were inundated with calls from members of the public who reported seeing about 20 men escaping yesterday.

A helicopter was used to search for the men after they fled from the A5 Watling Street in Brownhills, near the Terrace Restaurant, at 11.30am.

Fourteen men have been arrested after being spotted in the area.

It is believed that the lorry was moving when the men began to kick their way out of the trailer.

The driver pulled over, and some of the men were seen fleeing towards Hanney Hay Road and Burntwood, and some towards Walsall Wood. The foreign-registered lorry drove off.

Brownhills councillor Alan Paul said: "A friend of mine who lives in Watling Street told me he and his wife saw a group of people running across his garden yesterday. They quickly disappeared."

Gerald Bickley, 73, who lives in Watling Street, said: "We are concerned about border controls because they don't appear to be working."

Insp Alison Dando said: "We had patrols out through the afternoon surveying the area for the men, who are believed to be immigrants from Afghanistan."