Cadets have been ordered to leave their long-standing training camp to make way for 600 small-boat migrants.

The site in rural Crowborough, East Sussex, is set to be turned into open accommodation for male asylum seekers by the end of the month.

On Wednesday night, the town’s No.8 Detachment of cadets paraded for the last time at the camp, previously used by the British and Canadian military during the First and Second World Wars.

The cadets were ordered to ‘cease all activity’ by the Ministry of Defence, which told them: ‘The Government takes the safety and well-being of all cadets extremely seriously.’

People in Crowborough on Wednesday questioned why the accommodation, which will allow migrants to come and go as they please, was deemed unsafe for the cadets but safe for the community at large.

Jeannette Towey, leader of the Pink Ladies anti-migrant group in Crowborough, said: ‘It’s a terrible shame and an appalling indictment of the Government that our cadets are being forced out of their longstanding base to make way for 600 undocumented, fighting-age men who we know absolutely nothing about.

‘If the MoD thinks it’s unsafe for cadets, how come the Home Office thinks it’s safe for exactly the same children if they’re in the town?

‘The problem with rural areas like this is that there is absolutely nothing for these people to do other than hang around schools or playgrounds, which is horrifying. People here are very worried.

People across the country should be concerned about this, because if it can happen here, it can happen anywhere.’

Neighbours of camp for 600 lone male migrants hit out at school that ‘told pupils to welcome them’

After challenging the Government over the scheme, Sussex Weald MP Nusrat Ghani discovered it will cost the same as putting all the migrants up in hotels.

Ms Ghani, a former president of Crowborough’s cadets, said: ‘This is a unique and precious training camp in constant use that is being handed to asylum seekers at the cost of our cadets.

‘If they couldn’t make the site safe for the cadets, how can they make it safe for local people? It feels like the Home Office is just ignoring us.’

She added the move is likely to have an effect on the number of people who sign up for the Armed Forces in the future.

As well as being used by local cadet troops, Crowborough Training Camp also hosts Royal Marines Cadets, Air Training Corps and Army Cadet Force members from across the country.

Hundreds of locals have protested the scheme, backed by Wealden District Council and town mayor Natalie Whittle, who said she was ‘deeply concerned’ about the cadets’ fate.

Kim Bailey, of campaign group Crowborough Shield, said defence minister Luke Pollard suggested the site may never return to cadet use after it has been adapted for the migrants.

‘They are displacing them potentially forever, which is ridiculous,’ she said. ‘Do they really think the benefit of temporarily housing some asylum seekers outweighs the need of our Armed Forces?

‘And if they do not deem a squadron of cadets to be safe under the supervision of four ex-military personnel, how on earth can two or three schoolgirls waiting at the nearby bus stop be safe?

‘This has the potential to destroy our town.’

Alp Mehmet, of Migration Watch UK, said: ‘Young people who dream of joining our Armed Forces are scarce enough nowadays without being discouraged like this. It’s a chaotic mess and the Government is totally incapable.

‘Rather than turfing out cadets, they should focus on stopping, detaining and returning migrants.’

On Wednesday night, the Ministry of Defence insisted that the long-term fate of the cadets had yet to be decided.

A spokesman said: ‘The Government takes the safety and wellbeing of all cadets extremely seriously. No final decisions have been made regarding cadet activity around the site and we are scoping options to ensure activity can continue with minimal disruption. We will update on future plans prior to Christmas.

‘We continue to work with the Home Office to assess the potential impact that housing asylum seekers on military bases could have on our cadet forces and to develop any necessary mitigating actions.’

The Home Office did not respond to requests for comment.

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The cadets were ordered to ‘cease all activity’ by the Ministry of Defence, which told them: ‘The Government takes the safety and well-being of all cadets extremely seriously.’

People in Crowborough on Wednesday questioned why the accommodation, which will allow migrants to come and go as they please, was deemed unsafe for the cadets but safe for the community at large.

Jeannette Towey, leader of the Pink Ladies anti-migrant group in Crowborough, said: ‘It’s a terrible shame and an appalling indictment of the Government that our cadets are being forced out of their longstanding base to make way for 600 undocumented, fighting-age men who we know absolutely nothing about.

‘If the MoD thinks it’s unsafe for cadets, how come the Home Office thinks it’s safe for exactly the same children if they’re in the town?

‘The problem with rural areas like this is that there is absolutely nothing for these people to do other than hang around schools or playgrounds, which is horrifying. People here are very worried.

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Locals in Crowborough have protested against plans to move 600 small-boat migrants into the town’s military training camp

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The cadets based at the camp have been ordered to cease all activities there amid concerns for their safety and wellbeing