Two people from Bicester have travelled to Holland to see how its smaller fast-track asylum seeker centres work.

Alison Shelly, of Bicester Action Group, and district councillor David Hughes were invited by Oxfordshire MEP James Elles on a fact-finding trip to a centre on the Belgian-Netherlands border.

After the visit, the group agreed that the UK's asylum processing system was too bureaucratic and expensive.

Mr Hughes, whose ward covers Launton and Arncott, called on the Government to look at the Dutch system, which has evolved over the last 10 years.

He said: "It is fair and just, looking after asylum seekers by providing a stable environment while applications are speedily handled.

"The size of the centre at Rijsbergen, housing between 40 and 80 people, is small enough to make applicants feel less anonymous and lost while at the same time allowing the local community not to feel overwhelmed.

"Asylum seekers, including families and children, plus the local communities, need treating with sensitivity and compassion in centres of appropriate size and location."

Mrs Shelly said: "After visiting the registration centre I felt, thank God, at last, we have seen a logical, well-planned approach to that increased inflow of asylum seekers."