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Workers including nurses, charity staff and teaching assistants have voiced fears about their future status during a protest over their right to remain in the UK.

Scores of foreign nationals lobbied MPs in Parliament as they urged the Government to guarantee that they would be able to stay in the country post-Brexit.

Campaigners are pressing the Prime Minister to end the uncertainty facing the three million EU citizens living in the UK.

Elisa Garimberti, a clinical scientist from Italy working in London, said: "I've looked into the citizenship process and the whole thing seems humiliating.

"The thought of having to do an English language test after living here for over 10 years is embarrassing.

"I also worry that London will be culturally poorer after Brexit."

Mary Luise Schueller, a charity worker from Germany, said: "I'm really unsure about my status.

"As part of my work I regularly have to go abroad, which will make it really difficult to apply for residency.

"I'm worried that I'm going to be made to go back to Germany but that's not my home any more."

Guilio Gotti, an Italian nurse working in Southampton, said: "At first, I was worried for myself and for my rights as an employee.

"But now I worry for the UK as well and about the direction the country is heading in.

"I came to the UK three years ago and I wasn't planning on staying forever. But not now it's the country I call home."

Rolf Schwarz, a web designer from Smethwick, West Midlands, came to the UK from Germany 16 years ago.

He said: "I'm trying to make sure EU nationals can stay after Brexit as it appears this is in some sort of doubt.

"This is not just an EU issue - every foreigner has the right to stay here after five years - the government at the moment thinks it can take that right away from the European citizens if negotiations don't go their way.

"I've been here in the UK for 16 years and if I were to be sent back, I wonder what would happen not just to my mortgage, but what happens to my pension?

"I wouldn't have enough years in the UK, I certainly wouldn't have enough in Germany. So basically, I would only be able to apply for social benefits."

Beatrice Kindred, a part-time carer from Bristol, said: "I'm totally distressed about it. I can't think about anything else."

The 58-year-old, who has a German passport but has lived in the UK for 37 years, worries about renewing her mortgage in November after her son missed out on a job opportunity because of his EU nationality.

She said: "My son was turned down for a job because the company did not want to invest in him, just in case.

"I saw on the3million forum that someone had been turned down for a loan. People think we're not yet affected, but we are.

"My friends tell me, 'You've been here for 37 years, you won't be affected'. But you just don't know because there is so much uncertainty."

The campaign has been organised by civil rights groups the3million and the New Europeans, together with Unison.

Unison general secretary Dave Prentis said: "These millions of workers help keep the UK's public services and economy going but they're being used as pawns by the Government.

"We want Theresa May to end their uncertainty by making it clear now they have the right to stay."

The3million chief executive Nicolas Hatton said: "EU citizens who came to the UK in good faith have lived through stress and anxiety since the referendum.

"The Government has refused to grant them their rights of residence following Brexit."