“Neighbouring countries really do take the majority.

“If they do get refused it can be extremely difficult for them to return to their country of origin. If you don’t know where you’re going to sleep that night trying to get travel documents can be very difficult to sort out.

“It’s also really hard to deport people, some countries have no functioning government and they won’t give travel documents out.”

Mrs Beckett said she also disputed comments on The Examiner website that claimed failed asylum seekers had potentially been turned down by as many as three judges.

She said: “You only get one appeal, 75% of people are refused first time and a third of those win their appeal.

“The process isn’t fair, it’s very speedy.

“If you come to this country to claim asylum the authorities in your home country don’t give you a piece of paper that says you’ve been tortured.

“It can be very difficult for people to prove their cases.

“A lot of people have been kept in solitary confinement – that doesn’t leave a physical mark on your body.

“That takes time and work with psychologists.

“It’s a really complex thing which is quite often about life and death yet it’s hard to get legal advice.”

The Refugee Council is hoping to send someone to Tuesday’s 7pm meeting at the Old School Building to support local asylum charity ASSURE.

“I don’t think residents have anything worry about at all,” Mrs Beckett added.

“If they just have a little bit of tolerance they will find nothing happens at all.

“And if they take the time to show a little bit of humanity they will be really helping some very desperate people.”