TWENTY adults and children have arrived in Bury, seeking asylum.

They include people from Zaire, Iraq, Rwanda, Albania and Romania. They will live in the town while their applications are processed.

Bury has agreed to take its share of the record number of asylum seekers coming into the country because the South East cannot cope.

Social services bosses have agreed to take 13 principal seekers each month, plus a few family members.

The asylum seekers were taken to Seedfield Resource Centre. Following assessment, they have been moved into eight houses.

Bury Council has made seven of its hard-to-let homes available, converting lounges into bedrooms, along with one housing association property. Officers are also hoping that private landlords will offer accommodation as the numbers increase next year.

Asylum seekers are not allowed to work and are not entitled to benefits. They are given a combination of cash and vouchers to spend on food and other essential items at certain shops in the town.

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