Twelve people from Syria, Iran and Iraq have been found in a lorry in Duiven, east of Arnhem, broadcaster Nos said on Sunday evening.

The 54-year-old driver of the lorry was released after questioning and the 12 stowaways have been told to either apply for asylum or leave the country, Nos said.

The driver came to the Netherlands from France and found the stowaways, who are all male, on his arrival at an industrial park in Duiven. He had heard noises during the journey but carried on driving, Nos said.

It is not clear where they climbed into the lorry but Nos said they had been hoping to reach England.

In June, a group of 68 people, including two pregnant women and 15 children, were  found locked in cargo containers shipped into England from the Dutch port of Hoek van Holland.