A man being held at an immigration processing centre in Manston has died in hospital.

The Home Office has confirmed the fatality, stressing "profound sadness" over the situation.

The asylum seeker housed at the Thanet centre was admitted after becoming unwell on Friday and died this morning.

It is understood he arrived in the UK as part of a small boat crossing on November 12.

He is believed to have been taken ill on Friday evening.

A statement from the Home Office reads: "We express our heartfelt condolences to all those affected.

"We take the safety of those in our care extremely seriously and are profoundly saddened by this event.

• What is the immigration processing centre at Manston and why is it so controversial?

"A post-mortem examination will take place so it would not be appropriate to comment further at this time."

The Independent Office for Police Conduct has been notified.

However, a Home Office spokesperson says there was “no evidence at this stage to suggest that this tragic death was caused by an infectious disease”.

They added: “We take the safety and welfare of those in our care extremely seriously and provide 24/7 health facilities with trained medical staff at Manston.”

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said there will need to be a “full investigation” into the incident.

The Labour MP said: “We send deepest condolences to the family of the man who has died after staying at Manston.

“There will need to be a full investigation into what has happened in this tragic case.”

This is thought to be the first death of someone processed at Manston.

The site has made national headlines in recent weeks, with its cramped conditions inside being described as "inhumane".

Asylum seekers are meant to be at Manston for only short periods of time while undergoing security and identity checks, before being moved to the Home Office’s asylum accommodation.

Some people have been held for longer periods due to a lack of alternative accommodation, with concerns raised over poor conditions.

Protesters have staged several demonstrations outside calling for the centre to be closed down, while Home Secretary Suella Braverman and Immigration minister Robert Jenrick have both visited.

At one stage the number of people being held there rose to 4,000 as many were moved from a site in Dover following a firebomb attack on that facility.

The Thanet site is designed to hold 1,600 asylum seekers, and the Home Office says numbers are now at normal levels.

People have described being infected with scabies in overcrowded tents while being forced to sleep on the floor and on chairs at the under-fire facility.

The poor state of the facility was further highlighted earlier this month when a young girl threw a message in a bottle over the perimeter fence to a PA news agency photographer.

In the note, the child begged for help, compared the site to a prison and suggested 50 families had been held there for more than 30 days.