Doncaster Afghan refugees are families 'aged from 2 to 70' as police chief blasts misinformation

Inspector Mark Payling of South Yorkshire Police’s Doncaster Central Division has been forced to issue a statement after inaccurate posts began circulating on social media following the arrival of a group of refugees in the town centre from Afghanistan last week.

Dismissing a number of Facebook posts that coach loads of men were ‘shipped in’ he said that people in Doncaster were ‘somewhat misinformed.’

In a live question and answer session, in response to one concerned resident quizzing him about the situation he said: “Coach loads of men were not shipped in.

"They are families who have been kept in isolation in the hotel and not been able to 'roam' around. It seems you, like may others asking questions tonight, have been somewhat misinformed.

He added that the refugees were being “temporarily housed” at the hotel and told another resident that claims circulating on social media were ‘completely wrong.’

Responding, he said: “It is clear the information you have been given is completely wrong.

"Families have been housed and range in age from 2 to 70. They are a mixture of males and females.”

The UK has agreed to house 20,000 refugees from Afghanistan, with men, women and children forced to flee the war torn Middle East country earlier this year after the murderous Taliban regime regained control.