AROUND 13 suspected illegal immigrants were arrested in Cinderford last Wednesday after a member of the public tipped off police.

Dozens of officers – both on the ground and in the air – scoured the town for more than five hours to catch the men who allegedly jumped out of the back of a lorry on Forest Vale Industrial Estate.

A police spokesman said: "We received a report from somebody, who works on the Forest Vale Industrial Estate, that 13 suspected illegal immigrants jumped out of the back of a lorry at 11.55am. They were believed to be in their twenties and all male. The lorry had just returned from Holland and passed through Calais (in France).

"Several officers, including a dog handler, and a police helicopter were involved in an area search for the men. It is now believed all but one of the men has been detained and will be brought back to the police custody block.

"Of those men we detained initial indications are that three are from Iran and three from Vietnam."

An eyewitness in the High Street, where several arrests were made, told the Review: "There were police officers and cars everywhere. We weren't quite sure what was going on but saw at least four men taken away in handcuffs by police. It looked pretty serious."

It is likely the men arrested were handed over the Home Office Immigration Enforcement Team.