AN East Lancashire haulage boss today called for British troops to be deployed in France to project HGV drivers.

This week migrants have been risking life and limb trying to brazenly clamber aboard UK-bound trucks in Calais, with many saying they will do whatever it takes to cross the Channel.

Only yesterday, French police found 350 stowaways hidden in cars and trucks between 6am and 10am - one was seen to climb on to a lorry's roof while two others managed to break in to the back of a slow moving HGV.

Past Government initiatives have targeted haulage companies, owners and drivers, forcing them to secure their vehicles or face fines of £2,000 for every ‘clandestine entrant’.

But bosses at Gilbraith (TS) Ltd, based at Transport House, off Iron Street, in Blackburn, say the authorities are clamping down on the wrong people.

Managing Director Steve Gibson said the message needed sending out that any attempts to enter the UK were futile to put off future would-be migrants.

He said: "We have great sympathy for hauliers suffering as a result of these actions. It is already very difficult to achieve a reasonable margin in our industry and this is one burden we could well do without.

"I also sympathise with the HGV drivers, who already have a challenging job, made all the more difficult by a situation approaching anarchy, they are being placed under threat of violence whilst merely trying to perform their duties.

"Surely the answer is simple, instead of our ‘drawbridge’ mentality of trying to catch immigrants on arrival in the UK, I feel we should place British troops/Border agency staff in Calais to eject migrants from vehicles and show them this behaviour is not acceptable and will not be tolerated.

"If we can get this message across hopefully the problem will right itself and migrants will not even attempt this route knowing it is futile."

Migrants tried to take advantage of slowing and stationary lorries made worse by a wildcat strike by French ferry workers and a fire near Eurostar tracks.

Richard Burnett, chief executive of the Road Haulage Association, said: “It is totally unacceptable for truck drivers to have to run the gauntlet of fear and intimidation that is fast becoming the norm.

“The resulting delays in freight vehicle movements are costing hauliers millions of pounds.

“In addition to the loss of revenue due to vehicles standing, an incalculable amount of money is also being lost through missed delivery times.”