Protection of children at an immigration detention centre is "seriously deficient", the Chief Inspector of Prisons has warned.

Tinsley House Immigration Removal Centre urgently needs to upgrade the way it deals with child welfare, Anne Owers said.

An unannounced inspection of the centre near Gatwick found there was no dedicated child protection officer and inadequate criminal record checks on staff.

The Chief Inspector said: "I remain extremely concerned about the welfare of children in all the immigration removal centres that we have inspected.

"The Home Office's Immigration and Nationality Directorate needs to take action to make sure professional and appropriate care is in place wherever children may be detained, including independent social service assessments of their needs and risks."

Otherwise, Tinsley House was generally well-managed and safe, she said, with good self-harm and suicide prevention.

But the report added complaints and race relations procedures were weak and needed to be strengthened, while anti-bullying procedures were "in their infancy".

Tinsley House is run by a private company, Global Solutions Limited, and holds failed asylum seekers and immigration offenders, such as over-stayers.

Immigration minister Tony McNulty said: "Detention is an essential part of an effective immigration system, but it is critical it is done with humanity and dignity, something I am totally committed to ensuring.

"These reports raise many issues and I want to respond to the Chief Inspector's recommendations once we have studied both in full."