Nine migrants found alive inside lorry container in UK town of Kent

A lorry carrying nine migrants was stopped in Kent - hours after the bodies of 39 people were found in the back of a refrigerated truck in Essex.

A lorry carrying nine migrants was stopped in Kent just hours after the bodies of 39 people were found in the back of a refrigerated truck in Essex.

Police stopped the vehicle on the M20 this afternoon, creating five miles of congestion on the westbound carriageway.

The nine migrants were found alive after police were called at 3.40pm to reports of people in the back of a lorry on the M20.

The group were checked by the ambulance service and will be passed to immigration officers.

Kent Police said in a statement: “Kent Police was called at 3.40pm on Wednesday 23 October to reports of people in the back of a lorry on the M20.

“Nine people are now being checked as a precaution by the South East Coast Ambulance Service before they are passed to Home Office immigration officers.

“The London-bound carriageway was closed while officers dealt with the incident and one lane has now been reopened.”

- Additional reporting Reuters.