Couple return home with stowaway in car roof box

Newbury lawyer 'We still don't know how he managed to fit in'

UPON returning from a holiday in France, a Newbury lawyer was shocked to discover a stowaway in his car roof box.

Simon Fenton, 57, spent all of August in the Dordogne with his wife Sally, also 57.

On Tuesday last week, he booked his car into a communal garage in Calais, but was forced to park it opposite the facility due to size restrictions.

The couple embarked for Dover on Saturday, returning to their home just before 3pm.

Rather than unpack immediately, Mr Fenton went inside to relax and watch the rugby, but was summoned outside again by his wife’s screams.

Initially, Mr Fenton noticed only the sole of a shoe poking out of the side of the roof box.

“It took us a few moments to realise there would be a foot,” he said.

The stowaway – believed to be an Egyptian national – spoke only broken Dutch and German to the Fentons.

He claimed to be 17 years old.

Police were alerted to the teenager’s presence and extracted him from the roof box with the aid of a crowbar.

Mr Fenton said: “We still don’t know how he managed to actually fit in the box.

“We’d have felt him move around on the motorway.”

The youth has been arrested, but has not yet been charged with any criminal offences.

A Thames Valley Police spokesperson confirmed Mr Fenton’s report, stating: “Officers attended and a 17-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of immigration offences.

“The investigation is now being dealt with by immigration officials.”