THE Home Office is facing legal action over conditions at its new women-only detention centre in County Durham just months after opening the facility. 

The first female detainees were moved into Derwentside in Consett, which has a capacity for 87 women, last December amid widespread opposition to the new site. 

Charity Women for Refugee Women said that detainees have struggled to access legal advice since moving in due to a lack of in-person services.