A FERRY operator has escaped being fined up to £28,000 for bringing asylum seeker stowaways to Teesside.

P&O North Sea Ferries was threatened with the fine after 14 asylum seekers sneaked onto a freight vessel in Zeebrugge, Belgium, in July.

Despite checks by the firm, they made it to Teesport, and were only discovered when they gave themselves up.

An official investigation was immediately launched, and the firm was warned that it could be fined £2,000 per person. Now the Home Office has taken the unusual step of pardoning it. A Home Office spokesman said: "The carrier's fee of £2,000 would normally be levied, however, it was decided that on this occasion, it would not be.

"There were circumstances particular to this case that were taken into account. It's more the exception than the norm."

The refugees, including a six-and-a-half-months pregnant woman and two 17-year-olds, concealed themselves in a trailer without a driver on the ferry.

An Iranian man was immediately taken back to Zeebrugge, while the others lodged asylum applications.

Mark Evans, a freight manager for P&O, said he was unaware of the Home Office's decision. He said: "P&O does a lot to try and prevent this happening. We have CO2 detectors at Zeebrugge and every vehicle is checked.

"Although we haven't discovered how this happened, we have tightened up the procedures and put more checks in place."