FOURTEEN suspected illegal immigrants trying to enter the UK were discovered when the motorboat they were stashed on broke down.

Sussex Police were called to Sovereign Harbour in Eastbourne after being alerted by the harbour master.

The boat was believed to have broken down and was towed in to the harbour.

A witness to the incident on Saturday morning said that when lock keepers went to help, several people on board ran off and jumped over the lock gates in a bid to escape.

Another resident in Hudson Close said one man tried to hide from police in the shrubberies and flower beds.

All the people who were on board were eventually caught.

Thirteen Albanian nationals aged between 19 and 39-years-old were arrested on suspicion of entering the UK illegally, along with a boy believed to be about 14.

The adults were kept in custody ahead of being transferred to Home Office immigration removal centres for further questioning.

The teenager has been placed in the care of East Sussex Social Services.

A British man was arrested by police at the scene on suspicion of facilitating illegal entry to the UK. He has been bailed until a date in February, which is yet to be set.

Sovereign Harbour resident Peter Crowhurst was at home when the incident happened.

He said: “I looked over and all of a sudden I saw all these figures leaping out over the lock gates and running everywhere.

“I saw a couple had been detained by lock keepers and I went to see if I could do anything to help. The police were there shortly afterwards.

“I was surprised when I heard there were 14 people inside because it was only a small boat.

“If it hadn’t broken down and caught the attention of the lock keepers they probably would have got away with it.

“It makes you wonder how many more people have come in this way without anyone realising.”

A Home Office spokesman said: “We work closely with police to tackle illegal immigration.

“Where someone is found to have no legal right to remain in the UK we will take action to remove them.”

In a statement posted on the Sovereign Harbour Residents Association website, PC Ed Faulkner, neighbourhood officer for the harbour, said: “Firstly I would like to take this opportunity to again praise the quick response of the Harbour Master and his team, alongside local residents for alerting us to this incident.

“We are very mindful that the harbour is a point of entry into the UK and have worked hard previously to build intelligence on any suspicious activity focused on the harbour.

“We are committed to working alongside berth holders, harbour authorities, residents and businesses to keep the harbour safe.”

The incident came after nine illegal immigrants were discovered in the back of a lorry in Pagham, near Bognor on Wednesday and a further 13, including a boy of six, were picked up in a lorry at Newhaven Port on Monday.