DETAINEES at an immigration detention centre near Oxford have warned the atmosphere is on a knife-edge as campaigners marked its 14th anniversary.

While protesters rallied outside Campsfield House, detainees spoke of a tense atmosphere and warned of a new riot.

Speaking from inside the centre in Kidlington, detainee Michael Sinclair said: "People are not getting any justice in here. They have been talking about a riot.

"People have been plotting. I am frightened because you never know what will happen - it is very dangerous."

Father-of-five Mr Sinclair, whose mother lives in Blackbird Leys, came to Oxford from Jamaica in 1999.

He met his wife, who lives in East Oxford with three of his children, in 2003 but was unsuccessful in securing a spouse's visa and returned to Jamaica to re-apply.

His visa was refused again, and desperate to see his wife and children, he returned to Britain on a false passport but was caught and jailed in March.

The 41-year-old has been detained in Campsfield House since October and is currently facing deportation.

Fellow detainee Rohan Walker, 27, said: "People are not getting any justice."

When asked if he thought another riot was likely, he said: "People have been talking about that. You never know when it could happen."

Around 50 demonstrators from the Campaign to Close Campsfield staged a two hour protest outside the centre on Saturday afternoon.

The group chanted and listened to speeches.

Member Bob Hughes, 60, said the centre was on the verge of serious unrest.

The university lecturer, from St Clements, Oxford, said: "It is continuously on the boil. As far as we know the conditions are dreadful."

Mr Hughes said the anniversary of the centre, which opened on November 23, 1993, made the current situation particularly troubling.

Neither The GEO Group UK, which runs the centre, or the Home Office, were available for comment.