REFUGEES have been found wandering along a busy motorway after claiming to have jumped from lorries, the Evening Times can reveal.

Dozens of people - who say they have boarded HGVs to get to Scotland to claim asylum - have been found by cops at the side of the carriageway of the M8 in Glasgow.

Insiders revealed the most recent incident saw a man removed from the busy motorway at 5.30am last Friday.

He claimed he had been locked in the back of a truck of days on his journey to the city.

One source said around 80 refugees had been picked up on the motorway in Glasgow since the start of the year.

They said: "As well as people from Syria, we have had others claiming to have travelled from China, Vietnam, Pakistan, Afghanistan and India.

"When they are picked up, they say they have jumped from lorries onto the motorway after travelling up through England from Europe.

"Not only is this extremely dangerous for the stowaway, but it also poses a risk for drivers on the motorway."

Many of the people picked up by Police Scotland from the M8 claim they have spent days in the back of trucks.

Authorities will then work to establish where people have travelled from and to ascertain their immigration status.

Chief Inspector David McKenzie, from Road Policing Command, said: "Specialist Trunk Road Policing Officers occasionally encounter individuals walking or located on the roadside of the M8 Motorway in Glasgow, who have not been involved in a breakdown.

"The reasons for this are varied.

"Often, this happens as a consequence of alcohol consumption.

"In other occasions, individuals may be going through a personal crisis.

"There have also been instances whereby individuals have claimed they are seeking asylum when approached by officers.

"In any of these instances, our specially trained officers will progress thorough inquiries and work with partner agencies appropriately to help keep people safe."

It comes amid a spate of discoveries of stowaways coming to the UK from Europe.

In September, 15 people were arrested after police stopped a lorry on the M25 in Surrey.

Police said 12 men and three boys were held in connection with allegedly entering the UK illegally and passed to immigration officials.

Meanwhile, a man was arrested in connection with allegedly facilitating illegal entry.

Recent figures, released under Freedom of Information legislation, revealed more than 6000 illegal immigrants have been found in vehicles coming into the UK from Europe in the last three years.

Drivers can face fines of up to £2000 for every person found in their vehicle at any UK port, as well as the Eurotunnel .

The crisis even prompted a new app, which aims to help lorry drivers report people attempting to climb into their vehicles.

A Home Office spokesman said: "Our immigration enforcement teams work closely with the police and other agencies when people with potential immigration issues are encountered in Glasgow."