Police in Cyprus used teargas to put down a riot by illegal immigrants being held in detention after landing on the island six months ago.

Riot police went into a detention centre in Larnaca after around fifty migrants set fire to their blankets to protest against imminent deportations.

Earlier this week another boatload of immigrants came ashore on a British military base on Cyprus -- leading to arguments between the Cypriots and the British military authorities about who was responsible for them.