A Welshpool businessman is facing a potential £3,000 fine after finding two stowaways in his vehicle, even though he reported them.

As Welshpool businessman Mike Vaughan was returning from France after watching Wales at the Rugby World Cup in October 2023, he found two stowaways in his campervan.

The pair had likely boarded his motorhome while it was boarding the cross channel ferry and after discovering them Mr Vaughan said he quickly contacted the Border Authority.

However, despite alerting the authorities, Mr Vaughan says he has now been hit with a letter telling him that he could face a £3,000 fine, even though he “did everything the way I was supposed to”.

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He said: “I took the ferry from Cannes to Portsmouth and landed back in Britain in the evening.

"We’re not allowed to stay in our vehicles during the trip, so I checked everything in the campervan before boarding, then spent the next few hours on the deck.

“I went back to the vehicle once we landed, only to find someone had broken in. I then found two people hiding under campervans bench seats.

“I reported it to Brittany Ferries and was told I couldn’t leave until the authorities dealt with the matter.

“The border force arrived soon after and took us to their immigration zone to be interviewed, while they took photos of where the two people had broken in and hidden.”

After thinking the incident was behind him, Mr Vaughan was surprised months later to receive a letter informing him that he could be fined £3,000 for not reporting the stowaways, despite telling authorities as soon as he found them.

He added: “It said in the letter that the people were found in the Border Force’s immigration zone, as if I’d tried to bring them in and been caught, when in fact I was the one who reported it to them.

“I’m planning to appeal the decision when it goes to court in August, but haven’t been able to find legal representation in Welshpool or Newtown so I’ll be speaking for myself.

“I also informed our former MP Craig Williams, who in fairness did write a letter asking them to reconsider, but I haven’t heard anything back since.

“I have documentation from the Border Force acknowledging that I had found the stowaways whilst sailing, I have video of them being apprehended on the ferry before the immigration zone. So hopefully I’ll have a decent case to make.”