THE campaign against the Throckmorton asylum seekers' hostel has moved to the House of Commons.

Mid-Worcestershire MP Peter Luff presented a petition signed by more than 3,500 people to the Commons on Tuesday night.

"When a petition has provoked such an overwhelming response as this, the Government must respond," said Mr Luff.

Residents in the neighbouring parishes have shown overwhelming support for the campaign, with more than 90 per cent of the electors in Bishampton and Throckmorton signing up to the petition.

The signatures have been collected by the newly-formed campaign group, PACT (Protest at the Asylum Centre at Throckmorton) in just a few days.

Worcestershire county councillor Liz Tucker said: "It is a tremendous response from a rural area in less than a fortnight."

She hit out at people who have labelled the protesters as Nimbies (Not In My Back Yard), saying: "Our back yard is full. Residents have had a bucketful and more. Now they're prepared to fight."

Wychavon district councillor Malcolm Argyle said: "People living here have had enough. We have put up with the worries of the landfill site and the foot and mouth animal burials. And now this."

PACT, which presented the petition to Mr Luff on Monday, says building on the airfield is against planning policies and that a centre there was too far away from services and recreation opportunities for the asylum seekers themselves.

Home Office officials are due to travel to the Vale next Wednesday to meet district and parish councillors in Pershore to discuss the proposals.