Home Office contractors 'cuffed detained migrants' inside coach on fire

Immigration detainees disclose to Guardian that staff refused to to let panicking people out

Immigration detainees whose coach caught fire as it took them to a deportation flight were handcuffed by escort staff before they were allowed to get off, in breach of Home Office rules, eight of the detainees have said.

In interviews with the Guardian, the detainees said that just minutes before the vehicle exploded and as fumes filled the cabin, one of the guards started handing out handcuffs to his colleagues.