Thirteen men who escaped from an immigration removal centre before going on the run have now been jailed.

The men took advantage of a disorder at Yarl’s Wood centre in Bedfordshire, escaping through an outside door in a sports hall before breaking through a further three fences and scattering across the country.

Bedfordshire Police officers detained five men near Yarl’s Wood shortly after the incident in April last year, but eight men went on the run.

They fled to different destinations around the UK, from Havering to Huddersfield, some in groups and others on their own.

Bedfordshire Police and the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit led a nationwide manhunt for several weeks to capture the escapees.

Some gave themselves up, while others were tracked down by police and arrested.

Last week, the last of 13 men convicted as a result of the police investigation into the escape were jailed, with the total sentences adding up to more than 21 years for the escape, as well as linked drugs and fraud offences.

Detective Chief Inspector Matt Inwood, who led the investigation, said: "This was a dangerous and brazen escape attempt by men who were awaiting deportation.

"Thousands of hours has been spent by our Bedfordshire officers and staff, as well as law enforcement colleagues across the country, in order to apprehend those who escaped.

"This behaviour was completely unacceptable and a flagrant breach of the law."