Border Force called to Howden Dyke on River Ouse after four stowaways found aboard ship

The four men had concealed themselves aboard the vessel, which had sailed up the Humber before berthing at Howden, near Goole.

A second ship owned by the same company which arrived in Goole Docks later the same day was also searched, but nobody was found aboard.

The migrants claimed to be Iraqi nationals and their cases have been passed to immigration services.

A spokesperson for Border Force said: "Yesterday at 12pm Border Force officials were deployed to vessels at Howden Dyke and Goole.

"Border Force officials were involved in the detection of four individuals who presented themselves as Iraqi nationals at Howden Dyke. Their cases will be dealt with according to the immigration rules."

The ship that the men had boarded is believed to be the Truffaldino, a cargo vessel which had sailed from Dunkirk in France. It is registered in the Caribbean island of St Vincent & Grenadines.

The second vessel, which is part of the same shipping line, was the Spanaco Loyalty, which had originated from Riga in Latvia. It is registered in Antigua, again in the Caribbean.

The port of Howden specialises in dry bulk, offshore, forestry, steel and metal cargo.