Migrant family handed £250k new-build say house is ‘no good for us’ as they demand to be moved

The Pakistani family have urged the Home Office to relocate them from their four-bedroom home on Stoke Heath's 'Migrant Street'

The Pakistani family have urged the Home Office to relocate them from their four-bedroom home on Stoke Heath's 'Migrant Street'

A Pakistani asylum seeker family housed in a £250,000 new-build home say they are desperate to leave after claiming they have been left frightened to live in a Shropshire village.

Muhammad Nadeem, 40, moved to Britain with his wife, Shamaila, and their four children two years ago.

The family had been living in Stockport, where Mr Nadeem worked as an Uber driver on a skilled worker visa.

After his visa expired, the family claimed asylum and were initially housed in a hotel before being moved into a four-bedroom property in Stoke Heath a fortnight ago.

"We are scared to stay in this house. We hate it here," Shamaila said.

Mr Nadeem claimed the problems began almost immediately after they arrived.

"My wife and our kids were outside the house when three people came towards us. We quickly went inside and I locked the door," he said.

He alleged that hours later, two more people approached the property, one wearing a mask, and began filming him on a mobile phone after he answered the door.

"They walked away and they started shouting what sounded like abuse," he added.

The incidents were reported to Serco, the contractor responsible for managing the accommodation, which has since introduced round-the-clock security patrols in the area.

Mr Nadeem also said the family's new rural location has made everyday life increasingly difficult.

"This is no good for us this place. It's too rural. I have diabetes and back pain," he said.

The nearest supermarket requires a £20 return taxi journey, which he said consumes much of the £295 weekly allowance the Home Office provides for the family of six.

"If my bread goes out of date, what do I do? Most of our money goes on taxis," he said.

Mr Nadeem said he no longer allows his children to play outside because he fears they could be targeted.

"My kids say, 'Father, can we go outside and play?', but I don't let them in case they are abused or threatened," he said.

Police have reportedly provided the family with personal attack alarms because of poor mobile phone reception in the area.

A Home Office spokesman told GB News: "New houses should never house asylum seekers.

"Earlier this year, the Home Secretary introduced robust processes to ensure new-build sites like Stoke Heath can never be considered again."

The Stoke Heath development predates guidance introduced by Shabana Mahmood and includes 21 homes intended to house around 83 asylum seekers.

The properties, originally earmarked for social housing, were acquired by Serco.

On Monday, Mark Pritchard, the Conservative MP for The Wrekin, urged Immigration Minister Alex Norris to meet with him to discuss the development - and issued a dire warning as he did so.

"People are being kept in the dark. There has been secrecy - no consultation and no transparency. People have a right to know what is going on," he told the Commons.

Mr Norris said he was "well aware" of the matter and pledged to meet the Tory MP to discuss the issue.

The Government has pledged to end the use of asylum hotels before the next general election by increasing the use of dispersed accommodation and former military sites.

Ministers have also proposed requiring asylum seekers who find work to contribute up to £10,000 towards the cost of their accommodation.