Afghan families who helped British troops to be housed at Catterick Garrison

They would be given “transitional accommodation” in former service families’ accommodation in the North Yorkshire town after being judged suitable for relocation by the Home Office after security vetting.

They said the arrivals would stay at Britain’s largest Army base for anything from for a few weeks to a few months, until local authorities across the country matched the families with permanent accommodation.

The move follows the race to get thousands of Afghans out of Pakistan – where they had been told to wait until homes in Britain could be found for them – before their visas expired and were deported back to the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.

Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Jackson, who stood three tours of Afghanistan, said he was convinced it was a moral duty to look after those who had helped British forces.

He said: “We’re doing our best by these people and asking local communities to accommodate them. It’s quite a journey these people are on.

“They are not refugees or asylum seekers. They are here with indefinite leave to remain after having contributed directly to our military operations in Afghanistan.”

The statement comes amid mounting concerns over factually incorrect claims on social media.

Alongside images relating to atrocities including the Southport knife attack, one post stated: “300 refugees due in Catterick next month and the council have absolutely no say in it. How long will it be before kids start getting killed in Catterick?”

Other posts have claimed Afghan refugees were being put up in a nearby hotel, would be housed next to schools, and that the former Sandes soldiers home in Catterick Road was to be used as an administration centre for those arriving.

Catterick Garrison councillor and former soldier Kevin Foster said he had been inundated with questions from residents over “many rumours circulating in our area about the number of refugees to be rehoused here”.

He said: “These rumours are not based on facts, and I have been in contact with the council and our MP’s office to find out exactly what the situation is so that I can put the record straight.

“What I do know at this point is that it will be refugees from Afghanistan who supported our soldiers that will be housed in the area, along with some who are already here. There are no refugees or migrants being accommodated in hotels in the garrison.”

In June, North Yorkshire Council heard that 35 Afghan relocations and assistance policy households had moved into MoD service family accommodation in the county.

A spokesman for Richmond MP Rishi Sunak declined to comment on the social-media rumours but added: “Mr Sunak is aware of Coun Foster’s concerns and remains in close contact with police and other relevant agencies about the situation.”