Two men have been arrested after six migrants were found in the back of a lorry at a ferry port in England and taken to hospital.

Both the men are in custody, with one detained on suspicion of people smuggling and the other suspected of entering the UK illegally, police said.

The discovery at Newhaven ferry port on Friday morning sparked a major emergency services response, with ambulances, police and UK Border Force in attendance.

The PA news agency understands no fatalities have been reported at this stage.

Police said: “We are currently supporting Border Force, who are the lead agency, and other emergency services after a number of people were found on a lorry on a boat in Newhaven Port.

“A man has been arrested on suspicion of facilitating illegal entry to the UK, and a second man has been arrested for illegally entering the UK.

“The ambulance service has taken six further people to hospital for treatment.”

A police spokesman confirmed the boat referred to in its statement was a ferry.

The UK Home Office confirmed Border Force was involved in responding to the incident but said that while it was ongoing “it would be inappropriate to comment further”.