A Syrian refugee seeks asylum in Nottingham after watching Robin Hood films
With thousands of people putting their lives in danger to seek a better life in Europe, what drives someone to make the desperate journey? And why come to the UK?
"We're leaving just for hope and for life, you forget anything else," said Adel, a Syrian refugee.
He fled the war in his home country but lost everything to people traffickers on the way.
After 18 months travelling, he was given leave to remain for five years and he hopes to complete a university education in Nottingham, where he has settled after growing up watching Robin Hood films.
"For me it was Britain because I know a lot of their culture because I studied English literature in my country, When I was a kid I was watching every movie - Robin Hood movies," he said.
Adel, who does not want to reveal his full name, was a student at Damascus University when the war broke out four years ago.
"Before the war started Syria was stable. Life was simple and easy. When the war started that's the reason to flee, to run from death. It's horrible, you can't imagine."
He escaped to neighbouring Lebanon but human traffickers convinced him it was safe and easy to travel to Europe.
His guides took Adel, with a group of other hopeful migrants, via Turkey, Algeria and Libya all the while extorting more money - until it ran dry.
They were abandoned in the Libyan desert.
Adel took 18 months to travel from Syria via Turkey, Algeria, Libya, Italy and France
From there they made their way to the coast in search of a boat to carry them across the Mediterranean.
With 250 other desperate people aged from just a few months to 70, they were crammed on to a barely sea-worthy vessel.
"It took 25 hours [at sea], no water, no food. I started to vomit. There was no fresh air, no air to breath.
"Everyone vomited, coughing, some of them screaming because nobody was imagining this was happened to us."
"Before I did this I always asked 'Why do this?' But after what happened [in Syria] I said yes. Because when you've lost all the choices, you are left with only one choice.
"And you choose the sea and there you find your grave or you find your life."
Their boat began to take on water but unlike thousands of unlucky souls before him, Adel and his fellow passengers were rescued and taken to land.
From Italy he made his way to Calais, the desperate Jungle where hundreds of people hoping to reach the UK are camped.
Every night for three weeks, he tried to find a way to cross the English Channel, grabbing a few hours' sleep in hotel gardens between attempts.
It involved scaling a 4m high fence, then dodging dozens of police and searching for a suitable vehicle to stow himself aboard.
Before Adel clambered under the wheel arch of a UK-bound lorry he did not believe it could be done - and looking at a vehicle today he is still unsure how he managed.
"When I sat on that axle, there's two brakes and its air brakes released. And what can you do, you can't shout help, please stop.
"Both air brakes started to push into my belly so it was really very dangerous."
He was discovered after half an hour but swiftly found a new spot, secreted on a ledge between the lorry cabin and the trailer and he finally reached his goal of seeking asylum in the UK.
A year on from his traumatic journey, Adel is a full time student, hoping to gain a qualification allowing him to complete his ambition of a university education.
"[Making the journey] is your death, it's your grave. You have 50% of hope to make it.
"I do this journey because I have a hope to live as a human. To have my rights, to have my dignity. To complete my dream."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-no ... e-33818436
