TORBAY’S MP has called for a review of security after it was reported that a Russian spy had come ashore from a ship in Torquay on a mission to snoop on Ukrainian soldiers.

Today’s i Paper carries an exclusive report on Russian espionage in which it says it has evidence that two Russian spies ‘slipped into Britain’ on board cargo ships.

One landed at Middlesbrough to observe sites that provide ground and aviation fuels for the UK. The other ‘suspected spy’ came ashore – legally – from a Finnish cargo vessel in Torquay, according to the report in the newspaper.

Once ashore, he travelled to Dorset to an area near Lulworth Cove where British forces have been preparing Ukrainian soldiers to fight in the war against Russia.

Both men entered Britain legally as members of the ships’ crews. Border checks at ports are less stringent than they are at airports.

Security experts say there is a pattern of Russian ‘intelligence operatives’ moving around Europe on commercial vessels.

The report by the i Paper says there is no indication that the owners, skippers or other crew of any of the ships involved knew they were helping suspected spies.

Torbay’s Liberal Democrat MP Steve Darling said he would be tabling urgent questions for the House of Commons and Torbay Council as a result of the revelations of what he called ‘a back door to the UK’.

“In Torbay I want to know what we are doing as a harbour authority to stop Russian spies from landing in Torquay,” he said.

“This is really shocking, and it shows how we must have our guard up against the Russians. In the last few days Putin has been saying that if Europe wants a war, then bring it on, and this is a clear demonstration that they have ill intent towards the UK.”

Mr Darling, who recently visited Ukraine on a fact-finding mission, said he wanted to ask questions about so-called ‘secondary’ ports such as Torquay where there was a ‘lighter touch’ on security.

He went on: “Now we know that Russia is using Torquay as a way of quietly putting people into the UK, I want to know what the local council, as the harbour authority, is doing to take account of this.

“We need to make sure that we are doing all we can, because this is a long-term situation with Russia. We need to take this very seriously, whether through Border Force or our own harbour authority.

“And most of all we need to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”