A GROUP of illegal immigrants has been found trying to smuggle themselves into Britain in the back of a lorry full of chocolates bound for Hampshire.

The 14 were discovered shortly before the lorry boarded a ferry to England in the French port of Calais.

The 12 Afghans, an Iraqi and a Palestinian had already started helping themselves to the sweet cargo, which was destined for a distribution depot in Eastleigh.

All 14, who were found by UK Border Agency officers working with sniffer dogs and hi-tech carbon dioxide detectors, have now been handed over to the French authorities.