A PROTEST walk is being organised to show solidarity with vulnerable people seeking sanctuary.

An alliance of faith, refugee and citizen groups in the Tees Valley will be trekking from Middlesbrough to Stockton on Thursday.

Over 60 people are expected to walk the route to highlight the plight of people seeking sanctuary who are regularly forced to make the 12-mile round trip on foot every time the UK Border Agency requires them to report at Stockton police station.

The organisers of the walk, Tees Valley Citizens for Sanctuary, are calling for people to be able to report at their local police station instead of travelling to Stockton.

And they have written to the Regional Director of the UK Border Agency, Jeremy Oppenheim, requesting a meeting to rectify the situation.

Barbara Hungin, a leader from Tees Valley Citizens for Sanctuary, said: "It is a scandal that in a civilised country like ours we ask people who have just escaped from persecution to make a 12-mile round trip on foot every week. This is a completely unreasonable demand from the UK Border Agency.

"We want those who live in Middlesbrough to be able to report at Middlesbrough police station, and those who live in Stockton to report at Stockton police station."

People are being urged to join the walk, which begins at the Trinity Centre in North Ormesby at 10am.

Anyone wanting further information is asked to call 07899 704978.