Staff at a Covid testing site have been warned about drug-taking, sexual encounters and fake test results, according to a leaked memo.

Bosses at a firm helping to run the Manston Airfield test centre in Kent – which is processing all the tests for lorry drivers wishing to cross the Channel – have sent a furious note to staff, amid claims some are treating it as a ‘social event.’

The letter – leaked to KentOnline – said senior managers have been ‘made aware of a number of incidents and allegations that have recently occurred across day and night shifts.’

Under the headings ‘drugs’, ‘verbal/abusive behaviour’, ‘sex’ and ‘forged driver Covid tests’, it then goes on to list a series of allegations regarding the behaviour of staff. 

Some employees have been ‘taking and offering drugs’ while on shift and a soldier on the site was subjected to ‘verbal abuse’, according to the memo.

It also states that management had become aware that ‘sexual encounters’ have also been taking place on the site during the night shift.

The letter goes on to remind staff that they should be testing everyone on site, regardless of whether they have already been tested before arrival.

This is because some drivers had turned up with ‘forged negative test results,’ something which is now being investigated by the police.

An employee who spoke to KentOnline said some of the younger members of staff are ‘not taking the job seriously’ and ‘treating it as a social event.’

The site was set-up after travel restrictions were imposed by the French Government to stop a mutant strain of Covid spreading from Kent to the continent. 

All lorry drivers are required to show evidence they have tested negative before they are allowed to cross the border and have to stop at Manston before making the crossing.

Tony Smith, the director of Right Guard – the company who sent the memo – told KentOnline the incidents raised concerned only a few members of staff among a workforce of up to 800 people. 

He stressed the ‘huge operation’ has been running very successfully and the warnings were only sent to remind the isolated few how to behave. 

He contested some of the claims included in the note, saying no drugs had been found on staff members and there was no evidence anyone had been having sex on shift. 

Mr Smith told the website: ‘It’s not a free-for-all here; it’s not a Sunday morning playing football – it’s a very busy site.

‘A number of the operatives working here are high-level professionals, such as ex-police, ex-prison service and ex-military personnel.

‘But we’ve got a huge number of staff, 600-800 of all different people, and naturally some of them, a small number, need reminding about how to behave.’

A spokesman for the Department for Transport said: ‘These reports are concerning and we’re investigating with the company that manages the site as a matter of urgency.’

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