A 26-year-old asylum seeker was arrested after trying to depart the island using fake documents, police said on Tuesday.

The suspect went to Paphos airport around 4pm on Monday to board a flight to Frankfurt, Germany.

During passport checks, suspicions were raised over the documents of a woman of African descent who presented a Congolese passport and a French residence permit.

Police said the travel documents did not appear to have all the necessary security features.

During her statement to the police, it emerged her real name did not match her travel documents.

Later examinations revealed the suspect had applied for asylum and her application was still being processed.

The woman was arrested for forgery and circulation of a forged document.