A builder spotted a suspected illegal immigrant asleep in the back of his car as he set off to go to work.

The 51-year-old, who did not want to be named, approached his silver MG parked in Basildon and was shocked to discover the man lying across the back seats.

The motorist, who was about to drive to Croydon, South London, at 5am, filmed the footage on his mobile phone as he confronted the dishevelled man.

The footage has since been published by a national newspaper and shared on YouTube.

In the footage the builder says to him: “This is unreal. Get out of my car, get out of my car now.

“Get out of it or I will smash you right up.”

The man, who wore a tracksuit top and spoke in broken English in what is believed to be an Eastern European accent, said as he got out of the car: “I am so sorry mate.”

When asked why he was in there, he claimed he was tired and that he was staying nearby with his sister.

The astounded motorist asked him how he got inside and the man said he had used keys.

The intruder had even taken off his shoes to sleep inside the car.

The builder then said as he handed him a phone from the back seat: “This is your phone is it? I am even giving you your phone back.”

The intruder said: “I just slept there, I never took it.”

Speaking after the incident on Friday, the motorist told the Sunday People: “It was unbelievable.

I’ve no idea how he got in there. I’ve got five alarms.

“God knows what he was up to.

He could well have been an illegal immigrant.

“I’ve no idea where he came from or how he got in my car.”

Police were not contacted about the man in the back of the ca