Police called to protest at Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre near Bedford

Emergency services were called to Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre near Bedford as detainees staged a protest.

A spokesman from Bedfordshire Police confirmed: “We were called to support colleagues from SERCO in resolving an issue involving detainees protesting at Yarl’s Wood Immigration Detention Centre (sic), at around 9.40pm yesterday (Wednesday).

“We worked with Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service and the East of England Ambulance Service to put in place precautionary measures to ensure the site remained secure while the matter was resolved.”

Management of Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre was taken over by Serco in 2007 – five years after detainees set fire to the building in a protest in February 2002.

A Serco spokesman said: “There was a disturbance at Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre last night. Order has been peacefully restored and the centre is now calm.”