Civic leaders in Hastings today condemned the rape of a woman and demanded help to cope with the influx of asylum seekers.

The woman was gang-raped while she walked home from a friend's house in St Leonards. It is thought the attack was carried out by

asylum seekers, although councillors said this is still unclear.

Hastings and St Leonards council leader, Richard Stevens said the situation in the town is not being properly recognised and asked the Government for more resources and support. Hastings has become a target area for other local authorities to re-home asylum seekers.

Warrior Square, in particular, is home to several hostels and hotels which house refugees from Albania and Kosovo.

Coun Stevens said: "We have been aware for some time that, with the availability of comparatively cheap, privately-rented accommodation in our town, we would be a likely feature in the placing arrangements for asylum-seekers in general. We are a compassionate council but seek the requisite resources and support."

Government guidelines say Hastings should have no more than 400 asylum-seekers in the town, one for every 200 residents. But the council believes there are about 680 living in the area.

The 29-year-old rape victim had spent Friday evening at the Admiral Benbow Arms pub before visiting a friend's house near Warrior Square. She left at 11.10pm for the half-hour walk home.

In Warrior Square the care worker was grabbed by three men and raped on the pavement. Her attackers are described as Eastern European and spoke in a foreign accent. Coun Stevens condemned the attack but said it was unclear at this stage whether the three men were asylum-seekers.

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