GETTY / Öresund Drago Prvulovic 25 migrants have been caught trying to cross Öresund Bridge since February 1

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Authorities in Stockholm have brought in high-tech military grade heat sensor cameras to monitor the main bridge connecting the country to mainland Europe. They have been forced to act because of the huge volume of migrants trying to sneak across the 10-mile long bridge, which is used by thousands of cars and lorries every day. The desperate act is the latest sign that Europe's Schengen free movement zone is imploding amid unprecedented migrant chaos. Far from promoting free borders, more and more countries are now beefing up the security presence on their frontiers to try and wrestle back control of the flow of people. Sweden is one of the dream locations for many migrants arriving in Europe from the Middle East because of its lax employment laws and generous benefits system.

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But, amid a surge in support for far-right support the country is now rowing back on its previously unconditionally warm welcome to refugees. The heat sensors installed on the Øresund Bridge, famous for TV detective show The Bridge, are just the latest example of how the authorities in Stockholm are trying to bring the spiralling migrant crisis back under control. Jointly owned by Denmark and Sweden, the bridge is a road and rail link only linking the two countries, with no capacity for pedestrians to cross it.

GOOGLE Map showing the Öresund Bridge crossing

We began seeing people walking along the road and railway tracks towards Sweden Øresund spokesman

With the same 70mph top speed as UK motorways, crossing the bridge by foot - which includes a tunnel and open air section - poses a serious risk to all parties. But that has not deterred at least 25 migrants who have tried their luck at walking the length of Øresund in the last six weeks alone. Of those caught attempting the crossing from Denmark's capital city, Copenhagen, to the city of Malmö, 20 are known to have registered as asylum seekers in Denmark, while one had already sought asylum in Sweden.

The spike in dangerous journeys has been sparked by the introduction of compulsory checks on travellers which Sweden brought in in January. A border force spokesman confirmed: "When the Swedish government decided to check all travellers entering Sweden, we began seeing people walking along the road and railway tracks towards Sweden." Under new rules, those wanting to cross the bridge by car or train must produce photo identification.

Öresund / Drago Prvulovic The rail and road bridge links Denmark and Sweden

The move was an attempt to stem the flow of migrants trying to make the crossing by sneaking across in cars and lorries. The spokesman added that, on average, they have seen one or two incidents of pedestrian crossings per week since the new ID checks. Nobody has yet been injured making the perilous crossing attempt. But authorities are worried enough to have installed new signs along the length of the bridge warning migrants not to attempt to walk across.

The spokesman said: "As The Øresund Bridge is designed only for vehicles and trains, pedestrians obviously pose a substantial risk both to themselves and others. "There is no pavement or other form walkway. That’s why we decided to install new sensors, so we would be better able to see any such presence before they reach the tunnel."

Öresund / Drago Prvulovic All the cameras are monitored at the control room in Sweden

The heat activated cameras have been introduced at three points along the bridge covering both the road carriageway and the accompanying railway line. The heat sensors, along with a large number of CCTV cameras, feed directly into a control room in Sweden where the bridge is monitored round the clock. If anything trips the sensors, staff are alerted and if necessary, they contact the police.