A 15FT long anti-aircraft missile has been found on an England-bound lorry at Calais.
Anti-terror police were last night inspecting the 1½-ton weapon after the shock discovery — described as "very worrying" by a terror expert.
The driver — an Italian in his 40s — was being quizzed by French security services last night.
He has told them the delivery was "authorised" by an agent in London.
But French authorities have invoked emergency powers drawn up to deal with the threat of terrorist attack.
Cops last night refused to reveal the type and make of unarmed missile "for security reasons".
It was found on Monday night during a random check on Dover-bound lorries approaching Calais.
The area was evacuated for an hour.
A French police spokesman said: "We’ve never made a discovery like it.
"Our immediate priority was the safety of the public because we didn’t know if the missile was armed, or operational."
He added: "It may be that it had been ordered legitimately by an agent in Britain, but we couldn’t take risks.
"It could have fallen into the wrong hands."
World expert on terrorism, Prof Paul Wilkinson, said: "It seems extraordinary that a missile was found on a London- bound lorry. It’s a very worrying development.
"We know al-Qaeda has shown an interest in targeting civil aircraft."
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