Asylum seekers are escaping Kent detention centre on daily basis

Furious residents who live near a migrant detention centre in Kent are calling for tougher action by authorities over claims that asylum seekers 'are escaping on a daily basis'.

Some of the community living around Manston, a processing centre for migrants crossing the Channel, have reported seeing migrants wandering around their estate and peering into properties.

There have been reports that asylum seekers are finding their way out of the facility on a daily basis.

Others are concerned about the foul conditions inside the facility. There are reports of diphtheria and cholera spreading inside the centre where as many as 4,000 asylum seekers are being housed.

Natalie Townsend, 32, said that the number of asylum seekers fleeing the centre has become significantly worse in the last three to four weeks.

The mother-of-two, who has lived in Manston for 11 years, said: 'The police are around every day picking up the migrants that are escaping.

'The migrants are constantly wondering onto the estate, looking into people's gardens and houses.

'I've seen them jumping over the fence at that detention centre so I went around and told the staff.

'One of them who was in army uniform said once they escape the facility, they are no longer their problem.

'This guy in the army actually said that… And I've seen migrants four or five times even in the last few weeks.

'You see them in the road, walking to nearby towns.'

Another resident of the estate said that he hears noises from inside the centre, including shouting and what sounds like fighting.

Wayne Ross, 40, has been a resident of the area for nine years and said the situation had become much worse in recent weeks.

the father-of-three said that he has seen migrants standing on the corner of the road, waiting to be picked up by cars, after fleeing the facility.

Mr Ross, who lives with his wife Sharon, 50, and works in exterior cleaning, said: 'You hear noises until the early hours of the morning. It sounds like shouting and fighting inside, it is worrying.

'The place has been getting busier and busier in recent weeks.

'There are always buses going in and out and it's become much louder in the past four to six weeks too.

'I don't see how they can cope with the extra 700 people that arrived this weekend.'