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A High Court judge ruled that the Bell Hotel in Epping must stop housing asylum seekers, despite a last-ditch effort from the Home Office to intervene. Epping Forest District Council's temporary injuction was granted on Tuesday, forcing the hotel's owner, Somani Hotels Limited, to remove migrants from the site within 14 days. The Home Office asked the High Court to intervene in the battle earlier today, but was denied.

Mr Justice Eyre said: "It is my assessment that the joinder of the (Home Secretary) is not necessary so the court can determine all matters in dispute in proceedings. Nor is there an issue which it is desirable to have the (Home Secretary) so the court can resolve it. The consequences of the (Home Secretary) joining would be the loss of yet further court time. The impact of that is significant."

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The Home Office was not represented at a previous hearing in the case on Friday, but at the start of a hearing on Tuesday, the department asked to be allowed to intervene.

Lawyers for the department said granting the injunction "runs the risk of acting as an impetus for further violent protests".

They added that there could be "similar applications made elsewhere that would then aggravate pressures on the asylum estate" and injunction applications could become the "new norm adopted by local authorities".

Chris Whitbread, leader of Epping Forest District Council, also slammed the Home Office for "ignoring the concerns of local residents".

He said after the injunction was granted: "Home Office policy ignores the issues and concerns of local residents that the council represents.

"Today we have made a step towards redressing the imbalance and showing that local people do have some say, whatever the Home Office thinks."

The High Court's decision has been praised as a win for parents and locals by Nigel Farage, who hoped other local authorities would be inspired to follow in Epping's footsteps.

The Reform UK leader said: "This is a victory for the parents and concerned residents of Epping. They do not want their young women being assaulted on the streets.

"This community stood up bravely, despite being slandered as far right, and have won. They represent the vast majority of decent people in this country.

"Young, undocumented males who break into the UK illegally should NOT be free to walk the streets anywhere. They must be detained and deported. I hope that Epping provides inspiration to others across the country."