A refugee centre which has been struggling to help the flood of asylum seekers in the city has finally won funding to appoint two full-time workers.

Coventry Refugee Centre has received £70,000 from the Department of Health to pay two workers for two years.

They will help volunteers who have been pulling out all the stops to offer a service in Hillfields five days a week since last April.

Currently about 60 asylum seekers and refugees a day use the centre in Hillfields for help with their problems.

Penny Walker, one of the founder members said:

 "We are delighted to be able to employ a volunteer co-ordinator and an administrator for 27 hours each.

“It will enable us to get more volunteers and to have good administrative back up.

“The National Asylum Support System is breaking down - vouchers are not sent, and families are kept in emergency accommodation with no money and no access to health or education for three months or more instead of the planned seven days.

“With so many problems and so many people depending on us to help them, we have a responsibility to be as effective as we can. These workers will bring huge benefits."