POLITICIANS were grilled on the upcoming European Union referendum by college students at a specially arranged hustings.

A group of about 150 A-level and vocational students at Seevic College, in Runnymede Chase, Thundersley, quizzed the panel on the refugee crisis, free trade agreements and giving 16 and 17-year-olds the chance to vote for or against Brexit.

Experts on the panel included Rebecca Harris, Tory MP for Castle Point, Mark Francois, Tory MP for Rayleigh and Wickford, and Dominic Ellis, who stood for the Green Party in Castle Point in the 2015 general election.

Ahmad Khwaja, a representative of Southend Mosque, and Sandy Martin, a Labour county councillor in Suffolk, also outlined their views to the audience.

Jemima Saunders, 19, will be voting in the referendum and asked the panel about whether being a member of NATO is more important than remaining a member of the EU.

She said: “I thought it was really good, it’s nice to see a healthy debate. In the media you only see Prime Minister's Questions and it is nice to see the debate.

“The responses were quite detailed. They were all quite well prepared.”

Both MPs in attendance are campaigning for Britain to leave the union.

Mr Francois said: “The European Economic Community was about trade. The EU has gone way beyond that. We are lucky we live in a free country. Many people don’t have that privilege. We live in a democracy but that is being eroded.”

Mrs Harris added: “Britain has led the world for centuries as a free trading nation. I don’t want to see us losing this democracy. The EU is about going further towards integration and we would be giving away our democracy.”

Nick Spenceley, the college’s principal, says he was delighted students had the opportunity to make their voices heard on the matter.

He said: “Engaging young people in politics is hugely important and I am delighted Seevic College hosted this event at a crucial time in the build-up to the EU referendum.

“Sometimes young people can feel left out of political discussions, but as the students’ future is at stake it is essential they are given the opportunity to ask questions about topics important to them that will help to influence their voting decision.”