A judge listening to graphic details of an immigration centre riot yesterday warned that Britain had lost control of its borders "for the first time since 1066".

Christopher Elwen gave the dramatic assessment after four foreign nationals were cleared of masterminding the "rampage" at Harmondsworth removal centre.

Two of the men were jailed for the millions of pounds worth of damage caused during the huge disturbance, which left large parts of the 555-bed West London centre wrecked.

Southwark Crown Court in London heard that the mayhem - sparked by complaints about human rights and detainees not having Sky TV - engulfed all four wings.

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Staff feared for their lives as many detainees armed themselves with makeshift weapons, damaged walls, destroyed security cameras, smashed windows, shattered furniture and started fires at the privately-run facility.

Several of those on duty were forced to retreat as an enraged 50-strong mob battered down an internal security door.

A woman officer had a towel rail hurled at her head "like a spear", which missed by an inch.

Judge Elwen, bemoaning the existence of such centres, said: "In the last few years this country, perhaps for the first time since 1066, lost control of its borders and one of the unfortunate consequences of this has been the existence of detention centres such was Harmondsworth."

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