The illegal-immigrant overspill in Motril is raising the hackles of residents after a hall in the old sugar factory was used to house them, temporarily.

Over 70 young subsaharan immigrants were housed in the Nave de los Arcos for one night, so that they could move on the next day.

As the arrival of immigrants far outstrips the administrative and housing capacity of the authorities, after 72 hours they are simply set free, with a packed lunch and a bus ticket.

Locals from the Fabriquilla, area of Motril complained that immigrants had been housed next to them without their being informed.

The Mayor and the Councillor for Social Services met up with the neighbourhood association for La Fabriquilla to address the matter and to calm ruffled feathers, explaining that this was just a one-off, emergency measure, although that it is possible that it could happen again. Also at the meeting was a representative of the Spanish Red Cross.

In the meantime, the Town Hall has staked out the old Air Force base to make sure that no further conversion work continues.

(News: Motril, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)