A couple had an almighty shock when a stowaway migrant jumped out of the wardrobe in their camper van after they arrived back into the UK following a touring holiday in France.
Christine Seward, 75, and her husband, Geoffrey, 86, tried to stop the illegal immigrant escaping after he burst out of the cupboard as they drove through Plymouth, Devon.
The pair had just come off a ferry from Roscoff in Brittany, France, and were driving towards their home in Exmouth, Devon, when they heard a bang.
Mrs Seward believed she had forgotten to shut the wardrobe door properly so went to investigate – only to discover the young man stood in the darkness of the cupboard.
She said: 'It was very frightening. It was so scary. 'I said to him "I will call the police". He said "No police, no money". 'With a bit of push and shove, I managed to stop him getting out of the side door.
'But he pushed a bit harder and jumped on and over the passenger seat and out through the cab door and started running.'
The Sewards believe the man managed to sneak on board their van and hide in their wardrobe as they prepared to drive off the ferry on June 11.
After the man had fled, the couple parked up and phoned the police to report the incident. Officers were sent to the scene but were unable to trace him after he fled in darkness.
Mrs Seward said: 'When I called the police, I could hardly speak on the phone I was so shocked. 'We shook for about an hour, we just couldn't believe it.' She said she had spotted the man on the ferry during the six-hour crossing and believes he must have slipped on before disembarking.
Mrs Seward left the van's passenger door open as she went to help her husband with the car they were towing behind before they got off the ferry. She is now warning other holidaymakers travelling back from France to be extra-vigilant.
'We are just very fortunate that he didn't steal any belongings or passports or money,' she said.
She added that her daughter does volunteer work helping asylum seekers in Croydon, south London.
'We both really felt for this guy,' she said.
'He had nothing on him apart from the clothes on his back.
'So many of these immigrants are coming in that I feel terribly sorry for them - but they have to come through the right channels.'UK Dailymail
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