Thread by @donnyc1975

I know some have seen my direct experience with someone under my van trying to get to the U.K. but here it is again :

Last year I got the train across to Calais . It was late so I decided to stop at the ibis in Calais .

The next morning I woke up had my breakfast walked out to the carpark, got in the van and headed south towards paris

On the a16 after about 5 miles I heard a faint banging , thinking nothing of it I carried on - but the banging got louder and louder and more frequent

After about 20 miles I was quite worried thinking is someone in the back ??! But the van had security locks and it was impossible to get in - so I carried on . The weather was dreadful - it was dark and cold , I was on the motorway with trucks behind me .

I pulled off at Bologne , strait into the petrol station and by the time I jumped out to go to the back there was a child standing there , shivering and terrified . A child

He want to run off but I told him not to . I gave him my coffee and croissant and said sit in the van .

It was then I realised how young he may be - I asked where he was from , he said Sudan . I asked about this family , said they were no longer here .

When we was at Calais i dropped him off , got some € out the bank and gave it to him . I also gave him my number incase he was in trouble but said I couldn’t help with him coming to the U.K.

Well a month later he was in the U.K. - I didn’t ask how , but he was in a children’s home .

Today he’s at college studying , playing for a local football team and contributing to society

It still shocks me he was clinging on underneath my van , literally for dear life . That’s how desperate people are . A child .

At least it had a happy ending - but could have been so much more worse , the image of him will last a long time . I think until you experience something like that you have to understand these people are human beings