Video footage has emerged which appears to show the moment immigration officers were confronted by a crowd of people during an operation to target alleged illegal workers in Peckham.

Home Office immigration enforcement officers can be seen in the video, which has been posted online, to be surrounded by a group of people as they make two arrests in the London district.

The crowd appear to confront the officers before cheering as they drive away in a van.

The Home Office has said officers visited two businesses in Rye Lane, Peckham, on 13 May as part of an operation to target illegal working.

Video courtesy of Ssiphouse

It said three men of Pakistani origin were found at a butchers to be working in breach of their conditions of stay in the UK and arrested.

The men have been released and ordered to report to the Home Office while their cases progress. No arrests were made at the second business.

The Home Office has confirmed that officers were confronted by members of the public during the operation.

It said officers were subjected to some verbal abuse, but nobody was injured.

A spokesman said: "These arrests send a clear message to those who believe they can abuse the UK’s immigration laws. Anyone who is found to be here illegally will face removal from the country.