The Home Office has denied a barge that is set to house around 500 asylum seekers is "a floating prison".The Bibby Stockholm arrived in Portland on Tuesday and will open to around 50 asylum seekers next week. The vessel has been greeted by protests from local residents.The Home Office's deputy director for asylum accommodation rejected claims by some residents that the vessel is a "floating prison"."People are free to come and go as they want," said Leanne Palk. "But we do have this securefence

The Home Office has denied a barge that is set to house around 500 asylum seekers is "a floating prison".The Bibby Stockholm arrived in Portland on Tuesday and will open to around 50 asylum seekers next week. The vessel has been greeted by protests from local residents.The Home Office's deputy director for asylum accommodation rejected claims by some residents that the vessel is a "floating prison"."People are free to come and go as they want," said Leanne Palk. "But we do have this securefence line in place just so that people don't wander around the port."Ms Palk said the vessel was "quite light and spacious and airy", with "multiple recreational areas".Local groups were looking at how to offer asylum seekers external activities, she added, including football, hiking and "potentially looking at allotments".