Reporter Paul Foster was snubbed by immigration minister Beverley Hughes at a press briefing that was part of a visit to a proposed asylum seekers' accommodation centre.

The minister made a flying visit to the former Daedalus air base in Lee-on-the-solent, Portsmouth, to help her decide whether to go ahead with a planning application for the 400-bed centre.

But when news of her planned hour-long visit broke, it was revealed that she wouldn't have time to meet locals and would have just a 15 minute media briefing.

So to help residents get their views across, The News compiled their views and published 50 reasons why she should abandon the project.

And during his time with the minister, Paul tried to hand over a copy of the newspaper containing the 50 reasons but she refused to take it from him.

Paul said: "I held it out in front of her but she refused to take it.

"There was a bit of an embarrassing silence but her hand remained firmly clenched and then she gave a wry smile before her personal assistant took it from me.

"The fact that she rebuffed the paper angered a lot of local residents."

Paul was also only allowed to ask three questions, to which the minister 'coldly' replied.

He said: "The newspaper has a bit of a frosty relationship with her, but this wasn't personal.

"The issue effects the entire community and we were trying to represent that."