Immigration force makes 33 arrests

The raids took place at farms near Lancaster

Immigration officials have arrested 33 people in raids on farm buildings in Lancashire.

Officers arrested 32 people from Poland and another one from Latvia in the early hours of Friday.

The task force, backed by officers from Lancashire Police, carried out the raids at a mushroom farm in Galgate and another farm in Quernmore, both near Lancaster.

The suspects, mainly women, are being held at police stations across Lancashire.

Immigration officials

One of the raids was at Drinkwater Mushrooms, Galgate.

A Lancashire Constabulary spokesman said: "These people are currently being questioned by immigration officials."

Two people were expected to be flown back to their home countries on Friday afternoon.

Immigration inspector Elwyn Souter told BBC Radio Lancashire most suspected illegal workers in the UK were men, but it is not uncommon to find women doing the work.

Two more people were questioned by police, but were not arrested.