Swedish police were forced to run for their lives after being attacked by a mob of asylum seekers as they tried to relocate amid allegations a 10-year-old boy had been 'raped repeatedly' at a refugee centre.

Officers entered the centre in Västerås to save the young boy who had been reportedly attacked repeatedly by asylum seekers at the centre.

Initially, staff in the centre tried to remove the boy but were stopped by the mob. Instead the staff called police for backup.

Swedish police, file pic, were forced to run away when they were attacked by a mob at the asylum centre

The incident happened last week in Västerås, pictured, after authorities received reports that a 10-year-old child was being abused repeatedly at the refugee centre in the city, but were unable secure the youngster

One of the officers told the Vestmanlands Läns Tidning newspaper: 'Even more people appeared behind us. I was mentally prepared to fight for my life. We were 10 police officers in a narrow corridor. And I hear someone yell that there is an emergency exit.'

The incident happened last Wednesday, before a 15-year-old asylum seeker in Sweden was accused of murdering a girl working in a refugee centre.

According to Russia Today, Police Union Director Lena Nitz said: ' Many of the problems we are now facing help to prove the point that Swedish police have long been underfunded and understaffed.' ,” Police Union Director Lena Nitz, told TT news agency.

This follows the murder of Alexandra Mezher, who was stabbed to death at a refugee centre in Molndal, near Gothenburg on Sweden's west coast.

A police spokesman did not give details about the man’s age or nationality but confirmed he had been arrested for murder.

One report suggested the killer was 15 years old.

The incident involving the child happened in the week before Alexandra Mezher's murder in Gothenburg

Swedish police have demanded more resources to stem rising violence linked to the migrant crisis.

Police spokesman Thomas Fuxborg said: ‘These kinds of calls are becoming more and more common.

‘We’re dealing with more incidents like these since the arrival of so many more refugees from abroad.’

Sweden is struggling with a record influx of migrants and asylum seekers.

The attack came as National Police Commissioner Dan Eliasson requested 4,100 additional officers and support staff to help fight against terrorism, carry out migrant deportations and police asylum facilities.

According to the Swedish Migration Agency, the number of threats and violent incidents at asylum facilities more than doubled from 2014 to 2015 as Sweden witnessed a record number of migrant arrivals.

In 2014, there were 148 incidents and in 2015 that number jumped to 322.

But arson attacks targeting asylum shelters have also surged, with at least two dozen centres reduced to ashes or damaged by fire last year.