T5 workers were illegal immigrants

Illegal immigrants have been found working on Heathrow airport's new Terminal 5 building. The construction workers were arrested on the 600-acre site and are waiting to be deported. It is believed a colleague, concerned that none of them could speak English, alerted authorities.

Some of those detained accessed sensitive areas using false ID, and concerns have been raised that people whose background has not been properly checked could get close to aircraft.

An Immigrat ion Service spokesman said: "Eight offenders were picked up, made up of overstayers, illegal entrants and failed asylum seekers. It is possible the employer, a contractor on the site, may be prosecuted."

Heathrow's owner, BAA, admitted 12 illegal immigrant workers have been found so far at the site, which it said "has some of the strictest security and employment policies of any construction site".