With windows smashed, protesters cuffed and a female police officer “seriously bitten” as tensions boil over, the tinderbox town of Thetford has become a flashpoint in the row over Britain’s migrant crisis.

Last week, angry crowds began throwing stones and eggs at several houses of multiple occupation (HMOs) on residential streets, where asylum seekers had been housed – and locals say they won’t stop until they’re gone.

Over three days, starting last Tuesday, ugly clashes broke out in the Norfolk town.

Police say their brave officers were working “tirelessly” in challenging circumstances to counter anyone engaging in “violence, intimidation or criminality” – with three arrests made.