Two suspected immigrants picked up by police from motorway in Northamptonshire

They were picked up by police near the Watford Gap services between junctions 16 and 17 after a driver who pulled over to talk to them called 999.

Paul Bartlett, a Morrisons employee from Stony Stratford, noticed the two men as he drove to visit his mother at a care home in Coventry.

He said: “I pulled over in front of them and as they walked past, they stopped and asked if we were in England.”

The 54-year-old described the men as black and wearing winter clothing, including heavy coats, scarves and hats.

“I phoned the police and put it on loudspeaker so they could hear our conversation,” continued Mr Bartlett, “Their English was very broken but I managed to work out that they came from Sudan and at least one of the men was in his twenties.

“I asked how they had come here and pointed at the lorries driving past and he said yes.”

Mr Bartlett explained that he let the men speak to the police on the phone and after about 10 minutes they continued to walk along the road on the grass verge towards the slip road.

“It was just astonishing,” said Mr Bartlett, “a surreal experience.

“The police told me that they had received several calls about the two men but I must have been the only person to stop and talk to them.

“I didn’t feel threatened or in any danger, it was just strange.”

Both men were taken by Northamptonshire Police to the criminal justice centre in Brackmills.