Wethersfield asylum seekers 'on hunger strike' over poor conditions

Asylum seekers staged a protest outside their accommodation at Wethersfield over complaints about living conditions

At least eight occupants of an asylum accommodation centre have gone on hunger strike in a protest over food and conditions, it has been claimed.

One man said he had not eaten for five days at the former Ministry of Defence (MOD) site at Wethersfield, in Essex.

The Home Office previously denied migrants had started refusing food.

But in a new statement, it said it did "not recognise" the allegations being made about the centre.

The BBC has not been able to independently verify the details, but a video has been circulated purporting to show one man being assisted after collapsing because he had not eaten.

In it, a security guard is heard telling the crowd: "That was his choice not to eat, guys".

The East of England Ambulance Trust confirmed that it had sent a vehicle to the base on the day in question, 6 September, and that it had conveyed a man to Colchester General Hospital after he had collapsed.

A spokesman for the Trust said it had been called to the site on 12 occasions and attended seven times since the beginning of August.

'I'm not good'

A Kurdish asylum seeker, who did not wish to be named, said: "No one has helped us so far and our situation is getting worse.

"They insist on leaving us in this prison," he added.

When asked about his condition after five days without food, he replied: "I have a very bad feeling. I'm not good".

On Monday, a group of men staged a sit-down protest in the road outside Wethersfield.

They complained about the quality of food, an infestation of insects at the accommodation and medicines not arriving on time.

A video showing insects piled together was shared by one of the residents, though the BBC was unable to verify the circumstances in which it was taken.

'Insect infestation'

Asylum seekers at Wethersfield claim the accommodation is infested with insects

Migrants have been living at the former air base since July and the government plans to house up to 1,700 adult males there.

Braintree District Council said around 94 men are currently housed on the site.

'The food is appalling'

Nick Godley, chairman of Wethersfield Parish Council, said he had visited the site and saw the conditions there for himself.

He told BBC Essex: "We were offered lunch and the food was appalling. The standard of the rooms is incredibly basic."

Mr Godley said he was taking the Home Office statement regarding there not being a hunger strike "with a pinch of salt".

A Home Office spokesperson said: "We do not recognise the allegations being made.

"Despite the number of people arriving in the UK reaching record levels, we continue to provide accommodation for asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute, to meet our legal obligation.

"All residents have access to medical support and the food provided meets NHS Eatwell standards, catering for all cultural and dietary requirements. To suggest otherwise is wrong."

Several men told the BBC they had been - or were still - on hunger strike

A spokesperson for Care4Calais, who have been supporting the asylum seekers housed at Wethersfield, said: "The Home Office spin machine in Whitehall clearly doesn't know what is happening under their watch across the country.

"Not for the first time, there are people at Wethersfield on hunger strike over the conditions at the base.

"The Home Office were warned that putting hundreds of asylum seekers in a former military base that is isolated from any sort of community was going to be a disaster and that's now becoming a reality.

"The base is still operating at a fraction of the Government's intended capacity and rather than falsely denying what's happening at the Wethersfield, the Government should be closing it down and suspending plans to use other similar sites before they have an even greater disaster on their hands."