MPs across Worcestershire have voted against a bid to let 3,000 unaccompanied child refugees enter Britain - sparking a heated row.

All six of the county's Conservatives blocked changes to the Immigration Bill which would have let an extra 3,000 youngsters come over from camps in mainland Europe like Calais.

But the move has led to severe criticism from a former Worcester parliamentary candidate, who has described it as "shameful".

Councillor Joy Squires, who failed in a bid to defeat MP Robin Walker last year in Worcester, has accused MPs of letting "their suffering and despair continue".

The amendment to the Immigration Bill was headed by Lord Dubs, who himself arrived in the UK as a refugee after fleeing the Nazis in the 1930s.

Lord Dubs argued that children who were already stranded in Europe, in locations like the "Jungle" camp in Calais, should be allowed into Britain.

It was rejected by 294 votes to 276, despite support from Labour, the Lib Dems, the SNP and five Conservatives.

Councillor Squires said: "I'm saddened and deeply disappointed that Robin Walker has turned his back on children who are vulnerable to trafficking and exploitation and refuses to offer them safe refuge in the UK.

"In Britain we have one of the best welfare systems in the world - we would have coped with caring for these children.

"We could have given them hope for the future, but Conservative MPs like Mr Walker have to let their suffering and despair continue."

But Mr Walker and other county MPs say they shared the Government's concerns over issues like the potential for human trafficking, and the message it would send to other children.

Mr Walker said: "We are talking about children who are in a safe, first world developed country.

"Of course there are child protection concerns and I've lobbied ministers on that, but this is very different from Kindertransport (the Government-backed programme that accepted child refugees from Germany before the Second World War).

"We are already taking in thousands of Syrian children but we are doing it directly from Syria, we are doing more there than almost any other European country."

He said he could understand why some MPs, including those his own party supported it but insisted the onus should be on helping those directly in Syria while supporting the French authorities to improve their own facilities.

He added: "The issue with Lord Dubs' amendment is that it would shift the focus from the most vulnerable people in the camps in and around Syria, to those who are already in safe developed countries in Europe."

Mid-Worcestershire MP Nigel Huddleston pointed to the Government committing an extra £46 million to support refugees currently in Europe and a £10 million fund "specifically focused on the needs of children".

He added: "The Lord Dubs' amendment had its merits but I believe the approach set up by the Government provides the best way to support both our European partners and to focus help on the most vulnerable in the conflict region while not encouraging more parents to put their children’s lives at risk be making the dangerous sea crossing to Europe."

WHAT IS THE GOVERNMENT DOING ON REFUGEES?

THE Home Office announced last week it would take in as many as 3,000 extra refugees from the war-torn Syria region by 2020, most of them vulnerable children.

It is in addition to David Cameron's pledge to take in 20,000 refugees by 2020.

The resettlement scheme will focus on minors at risk in the Middle East and North Africa, inevitably meaning most will be from Syria.

One aim will be to reunify unaccompanied children back with their families.

As a separate measure 75 UK experts are being sent to Greece to support more screening and processing of newly-arrived migrants.

Save the Children and others said it was merely a repeat of an announcement of aid already promised and "failed to offer any help to children trapped in Europe".

Worcestershire is also due to take in up to 50 Syrian refugees later this year, as part of a target to relocate a total of 23,000 into Britain by 2020.

West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin, who was also among those rejecting the amendment to the Immigration Bill, said: "The Government’s focus has been on how it can play the most effective role in an extremely difficult situation, and not make matters even worse or lead to inadvertent consequences where people traffickers encourage more children to put their lives at risk by making the dangerous journey to Europe.

"I'm proud of the contribution the UK is making and the good we've already done. "Our local councils have already agreed to offer assistance to some of the most vulnerable refugees in Worcestershire this year."

Fellow county MPs Mark Garnier, Karen Lumley and Sajid Javid also backed the Government.