Riot breaks out at UK asylum centre after detainee death

The trouble on Monday night at the Harmondsworth centre, near Heathrow airport to the west of London, which was cricitised by inspectors only a year ago as overcrowded and unsafe for both staff and detainees.

Staff were forced to pull out of the centre for their own safety at one point during the "serious disturbance" on Monday night, a Home Office spokeswoman said.

However the trouble later largely died down and staff were gradually bringing the centre under control, she added. The death of the detainee was being investigated by police, who said it was not thought to be suspicious.