THEY'RE OFF. Taking all 32,000 signatures with them, coach loads of campaigners took their protest against an asylum seeker centre at Lee-on-the-Solent to London today.

In the cool spring sunshine, councillors, action group members and residents boarded the busses bound for London determined to tell the government exactly what they thought of plans to house 400 asylum seekers at Daedalus.

Along with the petition, which included signatures from Iain Duncan Smith and Oliver Letwin collected by the Daily Echo, was a letter to the Prime Minister urging him to throw out the plans.

The letter sets out the main objections to the proposals branding it an "ill-conceived plan".

Protestors have also invited Mr Blair to the seaside community to see for himself what an impact such a centre would have.

More than 200 protesters, dressed in yellow, boarded five coaches - including a Barfoot & Son coach sponsored by the Daily Echo - this morning.

Each one was given a yellow baseball cap to wear when they reached Downing Street.

Pensioner Sandra Kennett said: "I have never done anything like this before but I feel so strongly that this will have a terrible effect on our community. I certainly wouldn't feel comfortable walking along the front at Lee any more if this centre happened."

Her words were echoed by Kate Madden, a member of the Daedalus Action Group, who said: "We are compassionate about the needs of asylum seekers but it's a European problem and it should be tackled that way."

John Beavis, chairman of the action group, who will be handing in the petition to Downing Street, said: "What we want today is to make the government listen and understand the strength of opposition to them using the site at Daedalus. We want this stopped in its tracks."

A group of councillors and members of the action group will be accompanied by Gosport MP Peter Viggers and Fareham MP Mark Hoban along Downing Street where they will hand over the petition at 12.30pm today.