A CLASSIC care enthusiast dubbed 'Sherlock Holmes' in the French press was shocked to find an illegal immigrant hiding inside his vintage 1926 Vauxhall.

The discovery, made at Portsmouth ferry port, was all the more unnerving for Poole-based Michael Coatman – as the French police had removed another illegal immigrant from his vehicle just hours earlier in the port city of Caen.

Michael, from Lower Parkstone, often crosses The Channel to showcase his classic cars on French soil.

"I like to dress up as in period costume, like Sherlock Holmes, as well," he told the Echo. "Just to make it all the more fun."

However, fun was far from his mind when he discovered a man hiding under his low-loader on Tuesday (Feb 19) night after stopping at an unmanned petrol station to fill up.

He told the Daily Echo: "I screamed, as was scared because there was no-one else around.

"But the gendarmerie were there in about two seconds flat, making me think they must have been watching the place."

The semi-retired car dealer, who was on his way back to the UK from a vintage car show, said: "I'd hired a low-loader to take my 1926 Vauxhall there and back.

"On the way home I drove through Caen and stopped for fuel just outside the ferry port. But as I got ready to drive on I saw a guy clinging to the underneath of the low-loader.

"The guy ran off and the French police checked the car, it was even checked over again when I arrived at the ferry."

However, unbeknown to Michael, this was not the end of the drama.

When he drove off the ferry at Portsmouth he was also stopped by UK security, who asked him what had happened with the French authorities.

"The guy at Portsmouth said 'well have you checked inside the vehicle again?' But I said there was no point as all the studs on the cover over the car were down – you cannot close them from the inside.

"But he said, 'well we'd better just check', and when he opened the driver's door there was another bloke laying across the front seat of the car.

"I couldn't believe it, I was so annoyed."

It is assumed the second immigrant must have got onto the Portsmouth-bound ferry in France, then swapped vehicles during the crossing.

Michael said: "Because it is impossible to shut the cover on the car from the inside, he must have had an accomplice.

"Apparently this person was also found by security at Portsmouth hiding in another vehicle."

Michael has featured in French newspapers, who have dubbed him 'Sherlock Holmes' because of his period dress.

However, he last hit the headlines when he was photographed for the UK national press, taking part in the London to Brighton run in his 1904 Oldsmobile.