Red Cross denial over Sangatte

The French Red Cross official in charge of the Sangatte refugee camp near Calais, today fiercely denied reports that he knew of the attempt by asylum seekers to storm the Channel Tunnel.

As British politicians called for his resignation, Michel Meriaux, 50, denied he had any prior knowledge of the mass break-out on Christmas Day.

He said: "All I knew was that large numbers were leaving the camp as they do every evening. They left in small groups and not en masse, as they always do. To suggest that I was aware that a mass escape bid was going to happen is malicious."

Monsieur Meriaux insisted that he had been misrepresented in a BBC interview and said his remarks in French had been mistranslated, a claim which was supported by the Red Cross.

A statement issued by the charity said: "The interview was carried out in French, as Mr Meriaux does not speak English, and he has stated categorically that he was misreported, and that he did not know anything about the incident in advance."

Angry Conservative MPs have been calling for M Meriaux to be sacked following the reports that he knew in advance of the attempt by around 550 asylum seekers to force their way into the UK.

Former shadow home secretary Anne Widdecombe said: "These people were in his care.

"He must have known that they were putting themselves in danger but yet he did nothing. In my view, his position is untenable."

Her demands were reiterated by fellow party member Teddy Taylor, who said: "This man appears to be taking his responsibilities in a very irresponsible manner and the Red Cross should now remove him."

M Meriaux now plans to contact the BBC directly today to complain about what he sees as "a deformation of truth" and has vowed never to speak to BBC reporters again.

Eurotunnel, which runs trains through the tunnel has called on the French government to take steps to have the camp dismantled. They also say they have spent £5 million on extra security to try to keep asylum seekers out.

Eurotunnel says it intercepted about 18,500 refugees trying to get through the Chunnel in the first half of 2001.

A French court yesterday sent four young refugees to jail for four months for breaking down security barriers at the Channel Tunnel, allowing hundreds of illegal immigrants to try to cross to Britain by foot.

In speeded-up legal proceedings, the court in the northern town of Boulogne-sur-Mer also ordered the three Kurdish Iraqis and an Afghan to pay two million francs - £184,000 - in compensation to Eurotunnel, the company that runs trains through the Chunnel.

Both Eurotunnel and the Red Cross have accused the refugees of staging a media event, saying they knew it would be impossible to complete the crossing in such great numbers.

Four jailed over break