IN Saturday's Echo there was a headline “27 held in lorry swoop” above a photograph and short article (Echo, Aug 29). The 27 were arrested at Cobham Services on the M25 and were described by a trucker, who drove into the services, as looking “like illegal immigrants”.

I looked at the photograph of the group of travel-weary men and felt sorry for them. They had probably escaped from indescribable horrors in their home country, possible Syria. Their journey to England would have been long, arduous and very dangerous, but they would have been prepared to take life threatening risks with the vision of a new start in a safe country, where they would hope to find work and a welcome from the British people.

Instead these men were arrested on suspicion of “illegal entry”, their hopes and dreams destroyed.

How sad that our Government does not follow Angela Merkel’s example in showing compassion to the desperate people who have arrived in her country, where they are allowed to stay.

HL Robson, Leyburn.