Four men have been charged with violent disorder after protests outside a hotel in Essex believed to be housing asylum seekers, police say.

A council leader has described protests outside a hotel used to house asylum seekers as a "powder keg" situation. Epping Forest District Council's Conservative leader Chris Whitbread was speaking after more than 1,000 people gathered outside The Bell Hotel in the town in separate protests over two nights last week.

Violent anti-migrant protests in Epping, Essex, have cost police £100,000. Eight police officers were injured following what started as a peaceful protest outside the Bell Hotel in Epping on Thursday evening. The latest protest, on Sunday, saw more than 100 demonstrators assemble outside the hotel with some chanting “save our kids”.