Housing asylum seekers in Pembrokeshire in the county’s military camps is a ‘possibility’, the Western Telegraph has been told.

Rumours have been circulating on social media that the camps at Penally, Castlemartin and Manorbier have been earmarked as holding centres for migrants.

A spokesman for the government said this week: “As part of a range of options being considered by UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration), the MOD (Ministry of Defence) has advised on the possibility of providing temporary accommodation for asylum applicants on the Defence estate.

“No decisions have been made.”

At the centre of the rumours is Penally Training Camp, which is claimed to be the subject of a potential change of usage to a holding centre for up to 1,000 migrants who are waiting to be granted asylum in the UK.

Councillor Jon Preston, the county councillor for the village - which has a population of just over 500 people - felt that the report was “quite irresponsible”.

He said this week: “The whole story is based around a rumour that has been doing the rounds on social media.

“The story on Facebook, I am told, also included Manorbier and Castlemartin camps.

“The Home Office will, of course, not rule out any under-utilised or unused military base for this purpose, but Penally Camp is still used as a training camp for the military and supports live firing exercises on the range.

“All councils in Wales have committed to support people in desperate need, which was agreed at a summit hosted by the First Minister last October.

“Some weeks ago, I put a question to the council leader, Jamie Adams, for our March full council meeting, asking what he has agreed Pembrokeshire County Council will do to support refugees fleeing the conflict in Syria.”

As the Western Telegraph reported last week, the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme was discussed by cabinet, when Councillor Alison Lee was selected as member champion responsible for developing the council’s approach, locally, with a multi-agency group, led by Pembrokeshire County Council, to determine a Pembrokeshire approach to the crisis.

Councillor Preston said he was awaiting a response from Councillor Lee on the refugee camp rumours.

A spokesman for Pembrokeshire County Council said that the authority was unaware of the alleged proposals.