Thousands protest in leafy English village after army cadets booted out of camp to make way for 600 migrants

It is the fifth weekend in a row where the protests have taken place with many speaking of their "terror" at the plans.

Many were seen waving Union Jack flags and holding placards as they braved the grim weather to voice their anger.

Darren Corner, a father of two teenage daughters who lives who within a mile of the camp, said the group were going to keep protesting until the proposals were cancelled.

The 54-year-old builder told MailOnline: "We will get louder and bigger. They will be forced to abandon their plans. We're not going to back down. We will fight this all the way."

One of the organisers of the protest, a service manager called Gary, 52, added: "We're leading a charge against these plans. Everyone is scared. The weather hasn't put people off today."

Nearby resident Debbie Green said she had invested £2,000 on extra security at her home, which is within a mile of the site.

Ms Green, a financial controller, said: "It's sickening. We will not stop. These protests will get bigger and louder until somebody sees sense and decides this is a terrible idea.

"We do not want 500 male migrants here. It is not suitable. It is not right or fair.

"Look at the problems other places have had. There's been sexual and violent attacks on women going about their daily lives in other areas.

"It's a disgrace. It horrifies me. As families, we're terrified...I've got extra alarms. I want new locks as well."

Campaigners have so far raised more than £50,000 to fund their legal challenge against the plan. The plans are being pushed through by the Home Office despite the local council voting unanimously against the proposals in November.

Earlier this week, teenage cadets were ordered to leave the training camp, holding their final parades at the site.

Cadets at the town's No8 Detachment paraded for the final time on Wednesday evening after being ordered to "cease all activity" by the Ministry of Defence due to safety concerns.

"The Government takes the safety and well-being of all cadets extremely seriously," they added.

The decision was slammed by Deputy Leader of Wealden District Council Rachel Millward, who told the BBC: "It's such a valuable part of our community.

"It's so important for those young people and their families."

Councillor Millward, who is also the Deputy Leader of the Green Party, said the Government had a "casual attitude" to dealing with the issue which was "now shifting".

She added: "They failed to take this seriously, they failed to listen to our concerns, they failed to communicate properly, and they failed to plan this whole ridiculous idea."

A Home Office spokesperson said: "Moving to large military sites is an important part of our reforms to tackle illegal migration and the pull factors that make the UK an attractive destination."

They said they were continuing to "accelerate" plans to move people into Crowborough, when the sites were "fully operational and safe".

There were 36,273 people staying in such accommodation at the end of September, while they were awaiting a decision on their asylum claims.

The number of asylum seekers in hotels peaked at 56,018 at the end of September 2023 under the then-Conservative government but dropped to a record low of 29,561 at the end of June 2024 just before the General Election.