Private security patrols in Essex have begun operating in Colchester, Braintree and Chelmsford after residents raised concerns about alleged intimidation linked to groups of male asylum seekers visiting the towns from the former RAF Wethersfield site.
The three-month trial, called Operation Vanguard, has been launched by Reform-led Essex County Council. Six guards from My Local Bobby will patrol the centres, with the council saying the scheme is intended to address concerns raised particularly by women and girls.
Within minutes of the first patrol beginning in Chelmsford, two operatives were called to Poundland by members of the public who reported seeing four masked youths entering the shop. The members of the public believed the group were migrants.
The guards entered the store, asked the group to leave and watched as they moved on. They also spoke to members of the public about the purpose of the patrols.
Residents have alleged that women have been told to cover up, girls have been filmed on mobile phones and groups of young men have stared at or made comments to local people. The claims have not been independently substantiated in the material available.
In Colchester, shop worker Sophie Edmonds, 33, said she had experienced what she described as “big issues” with migrant men and now avoided walking around the town alone.
“Me and my friends have had comments and looks. They make noises. I hate it. We don’t walk around here on our own. It’s too worrying,” she said.
Ms Edmonds added: “They stare in groups. It’s really intimidating. I’ve lived here all my life. I never had a bad experience in Colchester until the migrants moved into the camp.”
Elena Sokolova, 38, who said she was also a migrant, claimed some men had made comments about women’s clothing and filmed girls in the town.
“The problem is, they don’t integrate in society. I am a migrant and I integrated into the British way of life,” she said. “More efforts need to be made to get them to integrate into the British way of life.”
Some residents said they believed the issue was affecting footfall and the wider atmosphere in the town centres. Ms Edmonds said families and women were avoiding Colchester, describing the centre as feeling like “a no-go area”.
Essex security patrols launched after residents’ concerns
In Chelmsford, local resident John Howes said his wife and daughter had become too frightened to return after visiting the town. The 66-year-old said he knew of a woman who had been followed across the town by a migrant.
“The vibe of Chelmsford has changed totally since the migrants moved into that former RAF base. They hang around in big groups, it’s very disturbing,” he said.
Lee Summers, 45, said he believed a lack of police presence had contributed to residents’ concerns. He said women he knew were now visiting the town in groups rather than alone.
“It’s a good idea to have these extra patrols,” he said. “I feel safer for my family to know they’ll be extra boots on the ground.”
Lea Sessions, 59, said she had been followed and was aware of reports of women and girls being followed in the town. “I feel so intimidated here,” she said. “It’s a really worrying situation.”
David Mckelvey, a former Metropolitan Police detective chief inspector who owns My Local Bobby, said the patrols were designed to make people feel safer as well as to provide reassurance.
“The patrols provide reassurance. We have teams up and down the country and this is the latest patrol we have,” he said.
Essex County Council leader Peter Harris said the council was particularly concerned about the impact on women and girls. He said the Home Office operated 17 minibuses taking residents from Wethersfield into Colchester, Braintree and Chelmsford each day.
Colchester City Council leader Paul Dundas stressed that the transport arrangements were a Home Office decision rather than one requested by the city.
“The transport of residents from the Wethersfield site into Colchester is a Home Office arrangement and not something requested by the City Council,” he said.
The former RAF Wethersfield site, around 15 miles from Colchester, began housing asylum seekers in July 2023. It is operated by Clearsprings Ready Homes on behalf of the Home Office and provides accommodation for single adult men aged between 18 and 65 while their claims are processed.
The Government says the site is intended to be as self-sufficient as possible, with communal facilities, healthcare and recreational areas. Security staff are present around the clock, while residents undergo checks against immigration, security and criminality databases.
Because of the site’s rural location, transport is provided to nearby communities to access services that are not available there. The arrangement has led to groups of residents arriving together in the neighbouring towns.
The Home Office is preparing to increase Wethersfield’s standard operational capacity from 800 to 1,245 places and wants it to continue operating beyond 2027. The decision has drawn criticism from Essex politicians, who say the area lacks the infrastructure to accommodate the proposed numbers.
The Home Office has said Wethersfield provides managed accommodation and is intended to help end the use of expensive asylum hotels. It has also said public safety is a priority, with the site protected by 24-hour security and CCTV, and with ongoing engagement involving Essex Police and local authorities.
