A 14-year-old refugee is fending for herself after being placed alone in a flat thousands of miles from home.

N'Sira Kourouma says she feels so "lost and lonely" that she has contemplated taking her own life.

Her case has outraged asylum seeker support services, who are angry she has been left to live on her own.

The Home Office says it can't intervene until it has documentation to prove that the asylum seeker is only 14.

And it has been revealed that an asylum seeker's age, if it cannot be proved, is determined by appearance alone.

However N'Sira, who is tall for her age, has with her a birth certificate that appears to confirm her tender years.

But yesterday she was continuing to fend for herself in Washington, Tyne and Wear, as best she can.

Rodney Thomas, vice-chairman of the Washington Asylum Seekers' Project, a body that helps newcomers settle in the town, said: "To put a 14-year-old on her own up here is ridiculous."

He said the project was looking after N'Sira, but because of benefit rules she has to live alone.

She came to Britain from the Republic of Guinea, in West Africa, in November, but was abandoned at Heathrow Airport by the man who brought her to the UK.

N'Sira, who is learning to speak English, was sent to Washington by the National Asylum Seekers' Service (NASS) in January.

"I know she wants to be back in London as there are more people from her culture and background down there, " added Mr Thomas.

"She's told me she's considered taking her own life as she's so desperate."

Adult asylum seekers are dispersed to wherever accommodation is available, but under-18s are not part of that policy and are the responsibility of local councils.

A spokesman for the Home Office said: "We cannot comment on individual cases.

"But where an asylum applicant claims to be a minor but their appearance strongly suggests that they are over 18, the Immigration Service will treat them as an adult until credible evidence is produced which demonstrates the age claimed.

"In all cases where the Immigration Service disputes an applicant's age it's explained to them how they can challenge the decision by approaching the social services department of the relevant local authority."

He added that it was the responsibility of individual social services departments to investigate whether an asylum seeker is the age they claim to be if they approach them for help.

N'Sira's situation has been flagged up to Sunderland Council's social services department, but a council spokesman said they could not comment on individual cases such as hers.