Scenes of chaos awaited thousands of EU staff due to start arriving on theGreek islands of Lesbos and Chios today to begin processing asylum seekers under a controversial EU deal to deport them back to Turkey.

The eastern Aegean Islands are struggling to cope with a humanitarian and public order crisis after several major international organisations pulled out of refugee camps last week in protest at the scheme they say is inhumane.

The UNHCR, Mecidin Sans Frontiers, the International Rescue Committee, Save the Children and the Norwegian Refugee Council all halted their logistical and aid programmes for refugees on the islands this week, saying that they wanted no part in a system of detention and deportation.