Fifteen children found in refrigerated lorry attempting to enter UK

Group, believed to be from Vietnam, stopped at Newhaven port in Sussex

Newhaven port, pictured here in October, is linked by ferry to the French town of Dieppe (Getty Images)

Fifteen children, some as young as 12, have been found inside a refrigerated lorry attempting to enter the UK.

Six adults and nine children were found concealed in a shipment of sparkling water at the Port of Newhaven in Sussex.

The group is believed to be from Vietnam and were stopped on their arrival from the French port of Dieppe.

The children were cold but did not need medical treatment and have been taken into the care of social services.

The full details of the Border Force operation have not yet emerged, but a criminal investigation is under way.

A Romanian man, believed to be the driver, was arrested and charged with assisting unlawful entry into the UK.

Andrut Mihai Duma, 29, is being held in custody until a hearing at Lewes Crown Court on 26 November.

A man aged 18 and a woman aged 27 have been removed from the UK, while the remaining four adults – a woman and three men – are currently at immigration detention centres.

Their cases will be assessed before a decision is made about their future.

The news comes after The Independent revealed that people smugglers are “abusing” soft border controls between Ireland and the UK to get people past the authorities.

There has been an increase in the number of gangs found to be working through the common travel area, which the government has said it wants to maintain after Brexit, officials from the National Crime Agency warned.

Passports are currently not required for British and Irish citizens travelling between the two countries.

Air and sea carriers did however say they require some form of identification but documents are not always checked.