Insults and accusations are still being yelled across the street dividing demonstrators outside a Newquay hotel sheltering asylum-seekers.

A protest against hosting the refugees had been planned for noon today - sparking criticism from the authorities, condemnation from all political parties and a counter-protest set up in opposition.

Initially, numbers of counter-protesters outnumbered protesters outside the Beresford Hotel.

Numbers of the opposing sides are now more equal, though the crowds have begun to dwindle.

There seem to be about 50 protesters against having asylum seekers in Newquay, and about 80 opposing them.

The police are using drones to monitor the situation.

Protests elsewhere in the country have ended in violent clashes and arrests.

Here, said Inspector Robin Loveridge: “It’s very much neighbourhood policing.

“Our main objective is to keep talking to people to prevent it tipping over.”

Specialist public order officers are at the scene, and lines of officers are keeping the two sides apart.

A protester who did not want to be named said it was not a right-wing demonstration, but about “a number of parents who are worried” in response to claims that women and children are being followed by refugees.

Counter-protesters have dismissed such claims as “a racist agenda”.

Jennifer Forbes, a former Labour Parliamentary candidate for Falmouth and Truro, said she wanted to show that “refugees are welcome here because they are in a desperate situation”.