UKIP will push for Bolton to opt out of an arrangement which sees asylum seekers offered sanctuary in the town.

If elected, UKIP councillors will fight for the local authority to end its “dispersal arrangements” with the Home Office, which offer homes to people who have fled to the UK to escape issues such as war and famine.

The plans have been described as “repulsive and petty” by a Labour election candidate.

UKIP said results of a Freedom of Information Request showed that in the first quarter of the year — from December 31 2014 to February 26 — there were 843 asylum seekers in Bolton, the sixth highest total of any local authority in the country.

The figures show 833 of the asylum seekers have received housing provision — with the other 10 receiving financial assistance while living with family or friends.

Jeff Armstrong, UKIP’s deputy chairman and candidate for the Bolton South East parliamentary constituency, said: “While we accept that the Home Office has a duty to provide support and accommodation to eligible asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute, we also feel that Bolton has already done its share.

“Bolton has had the sixth highest number of asylum seekers in the UK for some time now and, if elected, our councillors would push for Bolton to opt out of the dispersal arrangements as soon as possible.”

Mr Armstrong, who is also standing in the Bolton Council elections for the Farnworth ward, added: “Across the country, only about one in five local authorities have agreed to participate in the dispersal arrangements.

“We at UKIP Bolton feel it is time some of the Councils without any asylum seekers in their area joined in and took their fair share.”

The plans have been strongly criticised by Mr Armstrong’s rival for Bolton South East — Labour candidate Yasmin Qureshi.

She said: “I think Mr Armstrong ought to be ashamed of himself — asylum seekers are people who are escaping from persecution and the United Kingdom has always taken people in from war-zones, who are suffering from cruelty.

“To try and say that Bolton — which has a population of 287,000 — is going to suffer because of about 800 people coming here belies belief.

“We are a civilised nation and we have an obligation to help some asylum seekers — Jeff Armstrong is just showing how petty, hard-hearted and repulsive UKIP is.”

Stephen Hale, the chief executive of the Refugee Action charity said: “Asylum seekers are people who have often fled horrifying experiences in their home countries. Some have survived rape. Many have lived through torture. Others will have lost everyone they care about.

“Many risk their lives to get to the UK. They come in search of safety and we have a duty in this country to provide sanctuary to those who need it.”

Ms Qureshi (Labour) and Mr Armstrong (UKIP) are being challenged for the Bolton South East seat by Mudasir Dean (Conservative), Alan Johnson (Green) and Darren Reynolds (Liberal Democrat).