Riot police fired tear gas and stun grenades at crowds of protesters on Kos yesterday as tensions over a new migrant camp flared again.

A nine-year-old boy was injured during the violent clashes on the Greek island, local media reported.

About 2,000 locals marched from the village of Pyli to the proposed site of the facility on an abandoned army base.

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About 2,000 people marched at a rally in Kos against a migrant centre which is being built on an abandoned army base

Local media said police fired tear gas to disperse several dozen protesters who tried to break in to the construction site about 10 kilometres (six miles) from the port of Kos

Greek police also fired stun grenades at the locals, who marched from the village of Pylio to the site where the hotspot is being built

It is the latest instance of disorder surrounding the controversial centre.

Last week armed locals blockaded roads, lit fires and hurled petrol bombs at police near the site to try to halt construction.

Meanwhile, a British expat pensioner on the island, who built her villa on top of a hill overlooking the sea in 2004, has taken to carrying an old air rifle for protection.

Former economics lecturer Judith Denby, 68, from Wigan, said: ‘If it was women and children and families on their own, I wouldn’t mind, but my fear is that there will be a lot of single young men roaming around, walking between the camp and the village.

'Until last week … I had total freedom, but that peace of mind has gone. For the first time ever I’m locking my house and my car.’

Riot police protect the area of Pylio during a demonstration against the creation of the identification and registration centre for refugees and migrants

The Greek government is building five 'hotspots' to house and process migrants on the Aegean islands of Kos, Chios, Leros, Lesbos and Samos

Protesters held banners and Greek flags during the demonstration, which degenerated after a group of local residents tried to break into the construction site

The registration camp is one of five ‘hotspots’ Greece is building at the request of the EU on a string of islands, designed to accommodate the tens of thousands of refugees who have been making the perilous journey from the Turkish coast, which lies a few miles away.

The centres will allow Greek officials to separate genuine refugees, who will be offered resettlement in the EU, from economic migrants, who will be sent to Athens and then deported to their home countries.

But angry local people are concerned migrants will put off tourists – the island’s main source of income. They also fear large numbers of young male refugees will be allowed to roam the area unhindered.

The mayor of Kos, Giorgos Kyritsis, has warned Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras there will be ‘uncontrollable’ protests unless Athens scraps the plans.

Last Wednesday, a small group of Pylio residents clashed with police outside the abandoned military camp

Residents oppose the hosting centre for fears it will hurt the tourism industry, the island's main source of income

Protesters also fear that young male refugees will be free to roam the local area at will

Yesterday’s demonstration began peacefully but turned violent after marchers blocked the road leading to the site and tried to invade it to disrupt building work.

Some surged through police lines, prompting officers to fire stun grenades and canisters of tear gas to regain control.

Kos has 30,000 residents and the centre, around six miles from the island’s port, will have capacity for 6,000 people, meaning migrants will make up a sixth of the population.

Mother-of-five Anna Karagiannis Chatzisevastou, 36, said: ‘This is not about racism, it is about the security of our homes and our children.

‘At the moment the kids can walk to school on their own … but we worry that that will all change … we also worry about terrorism.

‘Greeks are a very hospitable people but this situation has made us feel afraid. The country is already in a horrible economic crisis. It cannot cope.’