ASYLUM seekers housed in Pembrokeshire's Penally Camp have come to the aid of those housed in another former army barracks in Kent.

Fire broke out in the Napier Barracks at around 2pm on Friday afternoon.

The Home Office said that a disturbance had arisen due to people objected to not being moved from the site following a Covid outbreak.

Five men have now bee arrested in connection with the blaze.

For the remaining residents of Napier there is no power and conditions are reported as being very difficult.

"There is no power, phone batteries are like gold dust, they are locked in due to the camp being full of Covid, with terrible relations due to the fire, and no way to communicate after their batteries run out," wrote Newport resident Vicky Moller on West Wales for Refugees.

Vicky has been involved with supporting refugees in west Wales for many years as a founder member of Croeso Teifi.

She said that money had been donated to the residents of Penally through the CROP (Camp Residents of Penally) group. However the residents have decided to come to the aid of those in Napier rather than use the funds for themselves.

"The camp residents of Penally are spending money donated to them to provide powerbanks to the men in Napier," said Vicky.

She added that the residents had been asked if this was something they wanted to do.

"I thought, as their circumstances are grim they would want the money spent on themselves," she said.

Vicky said the men in Penally had responded by saying it was a 'brilliant' and 'great' idea.

"They need help so I think we should help them," said one Penally Barracks resident.

"I am ready to provide any help I can," added another while a third said:

"We need to stand up and support them with whatever we can."

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