A VIGIL will be hosted to honour the man who died on board the Bibby Stockholm barge at Portland Port.

Following the tragic death of a man reported to have taken his own life on the Bibby Stockholm barge on Tuesday, a vigil has been called by Stand Up to Racism Dorset and Care4Calais.

A vigil will be held tomorrow (Friday, December 15) at 11.30am at the port gates calling for an immediate halt of new arrivals and mental health support to be provided on board.

A minute's silence will be held for the unnamed man to pay tribute to him.

Cards and messages will give support and solidarity to the over 300 asylum seekers on the barge.

Campaigners at the vigil will show their sadness and anger that the Bibby Stockholm is an "inhumane place" to house those seeking asylum.

“This is so sad and distressing. No one should die alone on a prison barge, isolated from their friends and with family far away.” said Lynne Hubbard, co-chair of Stand Up To Racism Dorset.

"We hope our vigil will show to the others on board that many of us do care. We are seriously concerned about conditions on the barge, especially mental health support. That is why we are demanding an immediate end to any more refugees being placed on the barge.

"We also feel we have a responsibility to call on others to join the campaign to demand an end to this country's deliberately cruel asylum system system that allowed this man to die."

Laney from Portland Global Friendship Group, who have provided welcome packs and support to many of barge residents said "Mental health support on the barge seems non-existent."

"We have provided support to a number of residents who have suicidal thoughts. They don't seem to get help from professionals. In fact we have reports of people in distress just being ignored or worse by security staff on board. Conditions have got even worse now that there are over 300 men on board. "