A family-owned haulage firm faces ruin from a £10,000 fine after five illegal immigrants were found hiding in one of its lorries.

The asylum seekers were found in the trailer at Coquelles, near Calais, France, but bosses at Tiptree-based BT Cullum have vowed to appeal.

They insist their driver took every precaution to ensure stowaways could not sneak on board when the incident happened on May 27.

Transport manager Lisa Dolan said: "We are only a small, family haulage firm and now we are under threat of ruin because of these laws.

"We take every precaution to ensure our vehicles cannot be used as a free ride for asylum-seekers, but it would seem this is not enough.

"Our driver sealed the vehicle in front of witnesses and regularly checked the security of the trailer throughout the journey.

"There were no holes in the body of the trailer and immigration officials could not see how the men had gained access.

"After an extensive search it turned out the security cord had been cut and professionally re-joined, probably while our driver was asleep.

"He had followed all the guidelines to the letter and was totally unaware of the immigrants' presence. Unfortunately, this will make no difference to our case."

Home Office officials have said fines can be overturned if drivers prove they took every precaution to check their vehicle.

But since the Immigration and Asylum Act was introduced in April, there have been no successful appeals.

"Our drivers are in a dilemma," added Miss Dolan. "If they don't discover the stowaways on their vehicle, they are liable for huge fines. If they do, they are liable to attack from potentially dangerous men."

A spokesman for the Home Office said: "To appeal, the driver or haulage company has to provide written evidence as to why the fine shouldn't be imposed."

The dispute will be settled by a closed industrial tribunal some time in the next month.

Bad break -- David Orrell, eastern area manager of the Road Haulage Association, with Tony Cullum and Lisa Dolan, of Cullum Haulage, with the severed security cord that allowed illegal immigrants to hide in one of their lorries.

Picture: STEVE BAINBRIDGE

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.