Fifteen asylum seekers are being held by police after a disturbance at a hostel.

The Afghan men are understood to have been arrested for public order offences at the Angel Heights Hostel in Newcastle on Wednesday.

Northumbria Police said the move followed a series of disturbances over the last three days.

It happened the night before the Home Office Minister Barbara Roche is due to tour parts of the city were asylum seekers are housed.

Some hostel residents are said to have threatened to go on a hunger strike Earlier on Wednesday in protest at their living conditions.

Eating normally

But the private company which runs the hostel said they were all eating normally.

In December the government came in for renewed criticism over its handling of asylum cases.

Refugee groups challenged Home Office claims that it had made a record number of asylum decisions due to increased efficiency and more staff.

But Ms Roche responded by saying the reduced backlog of cases was a "remarkable achievement" and insisted the figures compared favourably to other European Union countries.

More than 11,500 cases awaiting decision were processed during 2000.