A group of suspected migrants were found on the hard shoulder of the M20 after it is thought they had fled from the back of a lorry.

They were seen by drivers “running all over the place” near junction 4 for Leybourne this morning (November 14), according to reports.

Police officers confirmed they found 11 suspected migrants on the hard shoulder at around 10am.

A spokesman for the force added: “It is reported the migrants had been travelling in a lorry and inquiries are ongoing to locate this vehicle.

“They have all since been transferred to a Home Office immigration enforcement facility in Folkestone.”

Last week, KentOnline exclusively revealed the government could extend the use of a former military barracks in Cheriton, near Folkestone, to house asylum seekers despite local backlash.

The Home Office had been set to hand Napier Barracks back to Taylor Wimpey next year in order for the site to be redeveloped into housing.

But it has been confirmed that Home Secretary Yvette Cooper could decide to keep hold of the 130-year-old accommodation for longer.

It comes as a new report by inspectors revealed asylum seekers prefer staying at the barracks than hotels.

The Home Office has pledged to end the use of hotels to accommodate asylum seekers, but the number of people arriving remains high, with more than 30,000 crossing the Channel this year alone on small boats.

This is up 18% on this time last year (26,699) but down 21% in 2022 (39,929), a record-high year for crossings.

Some 50 people have died while trying to cross the Channel this year, according to incidents recorded by the French coastguard.