Police in Erith cordoned off a lorry trailer containing eight suspected illegal immigrants thought to be from Africa because of fears over Ebola.

The London Ambulance Service was called in to check them over because of concerns about the potential spread of the deadly virus.

A member of the public called police about the trailer in Hailey Road at around 8.40am.

<<< #Erith: We have assessed 8 immigrants in the back of the van and they do not require hospital. They are being left with police to deal

The group have been given the all clear by paramedics and handed back to police.

A London Ambulance Service spokesman said: "Due to the information we received in our control room our ambulance crews followed routine infection control procedures and used personal protective equipment while assessing the patients. 

"They didn't need to go to hospital."

A Met spokesman said: “As the immigrants are thought to have arrived from the African continent, a police cordon was put in place as a precautionary measure while the emergency services dealt with the incident.”

UPDATE

Two Lithuanian men who were driving the lorry, aged 35 and 37, have been arrested on suspicion of immigration offences.

They remain in custody at a south London police station.

Do you live in Hailey Road or nearby and saw what happened this morning? Call 01689 885702, e-mail tim.macfarlan@london.newsquest.co.uk or Tweet @NewsShopperTim