Britons say they have been 'kidnapped' by US customs after 'accidental' illegal entry

A British family arrested for illegally entering the US say it feels like they have been "kidnapped" by customs officials, who dispute their claim they accidentally crossed the US-Canada border.

David Connors, 30, his wife Eileen, 24, and their three-month-old son, along with relatives Michael Connors, his wife Grace and their two-year-old twin daughters, have been in detention since their arrest earlier this month.

They claimed they swerved to avoid an animal and accidentally crossed the US-Canada border south of Vancouver while on holiday.

In a statement, Mrs Connors said officials kept them in the dark.

"We had no information about where they were taking us or why. It almost felt like an abduction or kidnapping," she said, accusing US authorities of treating them "in a way no human deserves to be treated".

But the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) unit revealed two adult family members were previously denied travel authorisation to go to the United States, and said CCTV undermines the family's claims of innocence.

The agency told Sky News the family's vehicle "entered the US illegally, by slowly and deliberately driving through a ditch onto Boundary Road in Blaine, Washington.

"The vehicle travelled west on Boundary Road continuing on the United States side, and was pulled over by a Border Patrol agent a short time later."

The statement said the family members were arrested minutes later on suspicion of illegally entering the United States without inspection.

Attempts were made to return the individuals to Canada, however Canada refused to allow their return and two attempts to contact the British consulate were unsuccessful, the CBP said.

The family were originally taken to a facility in Washington State before being transferred to a residential centre in Pennsylvania, where they are currently being held.

In the statement Mrs Connors also complained of poor conditions, including severe cold and inadequate facilities to feed her young son, but said conditions improved once they were allowed to contact the British embassy.

"We have been treated like criminals here, stripped of our rights and lied to," she said.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has denied allegations of poor conditions or mistreatment at the facility.

A spokesman from Aldea - the People's Justice Centre, who is representing the family - said an ICE official said they could be leaving the facility on Wednesday, but the family did not know whether to believe this.