A coach company has stopped providing vehicles for Home Office migrant transport operations after staff were subjected to abuse and two coaches believed to have been used in the work were vandalised.

BM Coaches & Rental Ltd said it withdrew its vehicles following a review of the operating environment and concerns over the sensitivity surrounding transport services linked to the Home Office.

The company said it had been approached by an intermediary to keep two coaches on standby in southern England from September 19, for occasional use in Home Office-related operations.

The vehicles were first called into service over the weekend of October 3 and 4.

The decision to withdraw followed heightened tensions in Gosport after 149 migrants were brought ashore in the area on October 4 following a Channel crossing from France. They were subsequently transported to Kent for processing.

A protest involving around 350 people later took place, with flares set off and clashes reported between demonstrators and police.

Twelve people were arrested on suspicion of offences including assaulting a police officer, criminal damage and racially aggravated public order offences.

Coaches vandalised at motorway services

Two coaches thought to have been involved in transporting migrants were later vandalised at Rownhams Services on the M27.

BM Coaches subsequently confirmed it would no longer provide vehicles for the Home Office-related work.

The company said the decision followed concerns about the safety of staff and the wider operating environment surrounding the transport arrangements.

It is understood the firm had not been contracted directly by the Home Office, but had been supplying vehicles through an intermediary.