'YES' TO ASYLUM CENTRE

He confirmed the news that residents in Throckmorton had been dreading in a short telephone conversation with Mid Worcestershire MP Peter Luff at 10.25am.

A formal announcement that RAF Throckmorton has been selected from a shortlist of eight possible sites will be made to MPs at 3.30pm this afternoon.

Mr Luff told the Evening News he was bitterly disappointed by the decision, which he stated goes against the wishes of residents and asylum seeker groups.

He described the Government's choice as a "moral outrage".

Ministers were originally expected to make a formal announcement next week.

But the Home Office, faced with mounting speculation the location of the centres to be built nationwide has already been decided, instead opted to make the announcement today.

Yesterday, the Evening News revealed Throckmorton - where more than 130,000 animal carcases were dumped last year at during the foot-and-mouth crisis - had been chosen from a shortlist of eight potential locations for the controversial accommodation centre.

The other sites are expected to be RAF Newton, in Nottinghamshire, and Ministry of Defence land at Bicester, in Oxfordshire.

Lord Rooker broke the news to Mr Luff that Throckmorton was one of eight sites under consideration at the start of this year.

He has since met the MP and been told that people living near the site were overwhelmingly opposed to the scheme.

A petition has been presented to the Government calling for a "more suitable" site to be selected for the 750-bed centre.

Some 90 per cent of Bishampton residents signed the petition in just 10 days. It was also backed by 95 per cent of people living in Throckmorton.

Mr Luff said campaigners would not give up the fight.

"I think we will have a very strong case to take to the public inquiry," he said.

A Home Office spokesman said she was unable to comment on the chosen sites ahead of the publication of the Parliamentary answer at 3.30am.