Boy, 10, found in trolley pulled by couple trying to get into Spain from Morocco

Police say mother may have paid for son to be secreted into Europe

A photo from Spanish police shows how the boy was curled up in the trolley (EPA)

A 10-year-old Palestinian boy has been found hidden in a shopping trolley being pulled by a couple trying to cross from Morocco into Spain.

The child, who was obscured by bags of fruit and vegetables, was found on New Year’s Eve at a crossing in the Spanish autonomous city of Melilla on the north African coast.

His mother was discovered living at a temporary shelter for migrants, and is believed to have paid for her son to be transported to Europe.

The boy was handed back to her, and the couple who had hidden him were arrested at the Beni-Enzar border crossing.

It was not clear whether the Palestinian had relatives waiting to collect him in Spain.

In May, a refugee was found hiding behind a car dashboard in an attempt to cross the border from Morocco into Europe.

The man, who was in his twenties, had been trying to get to Melilla.

He was one of three people found within three hours of each other in separate vehicles at the Beni-Enzar border, the Spanish Civil Guard said.

In January, two migrants were found hiding in mattresses strapped to the top of a van also attempting to cross from Africa to Spain.

The men were arrested by border guards after they were discovered at a checkpoint between Melilla and Morocco.

Footage shared on Twitter showed the men emerge from the mattresses after Guardia Civil used a knife to cut through the fabric.

Local press said it was believed to be the first attempt to use a mattress to smuggle people to be documented at the time.