PROTECTED bird species could scupper plans to build a massive asylum seeker centre in Throckmorton.

Birdwatchers have spotted barn owls and skylarks at the former Worcestershire airfield, which are protected by the European Birds Directive.

Experts in European law have warned the Government could face a legal challenge if it presses ahead with the 750-bed accommodation centre regardless of the presence of the birds.

Now campaigners are hoping this latest discovery will help force Ministers to abandon the proposal altogether.

"We have always known that building a huge asylum centre on this site would be bad for the people who would be forced to live there and bad for the people who already live around it," said Mid-Worcestershire MP Peter Luff.

"Now we know it would be bad for the things that already live there.

"When will the Government wake up to the fact that this is just not the right place to put an asylum centre? What does it take to persuade them they are wrong?"

Mr Luff has discussed the possibility of a legal challenge with local MEP Philip Bushill-Matthews, who serves on the Environment Committee of the European Parliament.

He confirmed that if the site was deemed to be of specific scientific interest, the Government could face litigation in the European courts.

Other wildlife at the site include breeding pairs of corn bunting, tree sparrow, curlew, meadow pipit, and kestrels.

It is visited by whinchats, stonechats, wheatears, red backed shrike, honey buzzards, long eared owls, short eared owls and black redstart.

Mr Luff said there are also butterflies, including large colonies of marbled white, brown argus, common blue and migrant clouded yellows.

Important plant life includes bee orchids and pyramidal orchids.

The Home Office said a full environmental assessment of the site would be carried out.

"We are poised to submit a planning notification. An environmental assessment, including an ecological survey, will be submitted as part of that process," a spokesman said.