Couple's shock at stowaway who 'clung on for 100 miles' (1 Viewer)

ShiftZZ

LIFE MEMBER
Feb 19, 2008
21,379
84,095
Dark Side of the Moon
Funster No
1,546
MH
A class
Exp
Since 2007
A stowaway clung on for 100 miles underneath the motorhome of a couple returning to the Vale of Glamorgan following a holiday in France.
Friends following Geoff and Chris Mullin, from Barry, told them they saw someone's leg under their vehicle.
When they stopped at congestion on the M25 in Surrey they were startled to see a man jump out onto the hard shoulder.
A shocked Mrs Mullin said: "He just stared in the window quite insolently and just carried on walking."
The couple and their friends Malcolm and Chris Bell were returning home to south Wales from France on Tuesday when they realised what had happened.
The Mullins think their uninvited passenger had climbed onto the axle as they prepared to leave Calais via the Channel Tunnel.
After arriving at Folkestone, they travelled along three motorways at speeds of up to 65mph and did not stop for nearly two hours until they came to a traffic jam near Cobham services on the M25 in Surrey.
_77449785_motorhome_group.jpg
The Mullins and the Bells discuss the eventful end to their holiday
_77449780_motorhome_axle.jpg

The Bells thought they saw someone's leg underneath the Mullins's vehicle
Mr Mullin said: "Suddenly I looked at the side and I could see a gentleman walking along the hard shoulder - I turned to Chris and said, blimey, there must have been somebody under there."
His wife added: "We all thought 'where's he come from on the hard shoulder on the M25?'
"But he wasn't fazed at all - he just stared in the window quite insolently and just carried on walking."
Renewed concern about illegal immigration to the UK via Calais has prompted a Home Office offer of support to the French authorities to tackle the problem.
Immigration Minister James Brokenshire has said the UK could give France the 9ft-high steel fences used at the Nato summit in Newport to improve security at the Channel port.
On Thursday Broken Link Removed when she returned home from France.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-29110837
 

jonandshell

Free Member
Dec 12, 2010
5,476
8,299
Norfolk
Funster No
14,648
MH
Not got one!
Exp
Since 2006
Rear wheel drive vans like the Rapido in the article do tend to have a bit more space under them.
Our Transit is similar. It is easy for maintenance but looks a bit inviting for illegal immigrants and catalytic converter thieves.
I'll be checking ours in Calais!

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Feb 24, 2013
12,991
101,170
Bolsover, Derbyshire
Funster No
24,833
MH
Hymer S800
Exp
not long enough
I think these are funsters, there was a mention I think in the thread that Jim culled, I think so anyway, tried to find the original and cant (but nothing new there) (y)
 
Feb 16, 2013
19,505
51,186
uttoxeter
Funster No
24,713
MH
ambulance conversion
Exp
50 years
don't think it was,that was flying Scotsman and he was on his own and comes from brum
 

jonandshell

Free Member
Dec 12, 2010
5,476
8,299
Norfolk
Funster No
14,648
MH
Not got one!
Exp
Since 2006
Should we start a new thread?

'How many immigrants climbed out from under YOUR van?'

I wonder what the record will be?!:Eeek:

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Roryboys Dad

Free Member
Mar 19, 2012
631
805
Glapwell Derbyshire
Funster No
20,206
MH
Pilote Reference P716 LPR
Exp
2010
We had a similar incident in August with an immigrant clinging to the underside of our Motorhome.

The illegal could have climbed off at both at Maidstone and Newton Pagnell when we stopped for a brew but clung on until we arrived home – a distance of 220 miles.

We thought about reporting it to the Immigration authorities but she's such a good cook, does all the washing and ironing, hoovering and make a damn good cup of tea and all for a pittance of pay we thought we'd keep her until she wants to move on.

Immigrant 1.jpg
Everyone should have a French Maid – don't you think?
 
2

2657

Deleted User
A haulier was recently fined around £9000 when illegals where discovered on his vehicle and not having written documentation of pre embarkation checks.Have these motorhomers been subject to the same rules regarding pre embarkation checks and fines?
 
Jan 22, 2014
1,656
1,140
Birmingham
Funster No
29,795
MH
Coach built
Exp
2
A haulier was recently fined around £9000 when illegals where discovered on his vehicle and not having written documentation of pre embarkation checks.Have these motorhomers been subject to the same rules regarding pre embarkation checks and fines?
They don't fine hauliers now.and u don't get written documentation u never did.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
2

2657

Deleted User
They don't fine hauliers now.and u don't get written documentation u never did.

No??? From Commercial Motor 9/9/14

http://www.commercialmotor.com/latest-news/kgb-transport-fighting-£9-000-stowaways-penalty

"A haulage firm is fighting civil penalties totalling more than £9,000 after 16 stowaways were found inside one of its trucks."

And the driver!!

"Kings Lynn-based KGB Transport said its driver is also facing an £8,000 bill after the immigrants were discovered in its vehicle at Calais."

"However, he said he was concerned about the outcome because there was no written documentation of the checks made by the driver."

"We have done our checks manually but we haven’t made the documentation"

The written documentation is done by the driver to show that certain checks have been carried out but it is not official documentation
 
Jan 22, 2014
1,656
1,140
Birmingham
Funster No
29,795
MH
Coach built
Exp
2
The checks are made by the customs and immigration officers they have the means to do the checks. If the driver suspects he has a stowaway on board or his trailor has been tampered with he or she must report it. Wats the point of having all this equipment if u don't use it. But there no documentation for it. No won would ever put there name to a doc if he or the company was sure all the fail safe measures was there to stop them getting on board. I know cos I ran 36 truck into Europe for yrs. the commercial motor magazine are often wrong.
 
2

2657

Deleted User
Well, you just can't believe anything you read in the papers these days:)

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

bfb

Free Member
Jun 25, 2012
125
52
Aldershot
Funster No
21,647
MH
Hymer A Class
Exp
12
When I get into Calais or Dunkirk I always get out and check underneath and on top the roof. They can't get inside because the Rottweiler (wife ) will get them. Job done, no hardship. Always carry a mirror for those hard to see places and a powerful torch to blind the buggers. If they won't come out find some humps and drive over at speed or just enjoy another holiday till they get bored.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Sundowners

LIFE MEMBER
Oct 30, 2007
3,289
3,571
Suffolk/Central Portugal
Funster No
744
MH
A class
Exp
37 years
Just came over on the Bilbao to Portsmouth ferry. They were laying down and checking under and inside each motorhome and caravan for stowaways.

A few years back my sister went on a weekend coach trip to Belgium. It wasn’t until they pulled up in a lay by back in the UK they realised they had a stowaway when they heard screams because the coach lowers itself on the automatic parking mode. OUCH!

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Oct 30, 2010
4,256
20,707
Suffolk or France or ........
Funster No
14,290
MH
A Class Carthago Chic
Exp
Since 2008
Just came over on the Bilbao to Portsmouth ferry. They were laying down and checking under and inside each motorhome and caravan for stowaways.

A few years back my sister went on a weekend coach trip to Belgium. It wasn’t until they pulled up in a lay by back in the UK they realised they had a stowaway when they heard screams because the coach lowers itself on the automatic parking mode. OUCH!
My Carthago does that too when I use the automatic levelling.
Mind you, even with the suspension pumped up they would need to be thinner than a racing snake to find room underneath. :D:D
I'll still keep an ear out for the screams when I deploy the jack though. :LOL::LOL:

Richard.
 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top