An asylum seeker has been found hanged in a detention centre on the day he was to be deported.

Mikhail Bodnarchuk's body was discovered by fellow inmates at Haslar, a former prison in Gosport near Portsmouth.

The Ukranian arrived in the UK after fleeing his homeland in September 2000, but his asylum claim was refused and he was to have been returned on 31st January.

Staff at the centre had tried to resuscitate the 42-year-old.

Everyone liked Mikhail. He was quiet and always willing to give you a hand Fellow Haslar inmate

His room mate, also from the Ukraine, noticed he was missing from his bed at 0500 GMT and went looking for him with an inmate from Pakistan.

They found their friend, who had a wife and two children in the Ukraine, hanging from his shoelaces in a nearby toilet.

Another inmate told BBC News Online: "We are all sad and depressed about this.

"Everyone liked Mikhail. He was quiet and always willing to give you a hand."

Memorial service

Inmates are holding a memorial service for Mr Bodnarchuk at the detention centre's chapel at 1000 GMT on Thursday.

A Home Office spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that there was a death at Haslar on Friday.

"The coroner has been informed and there will be an inquest into the cause of death."

It is also understood an outside investigator has been asked to carry out a inquiry.