MPs have rejected an attempt to make the government allow 3,000 unaccompanied child refugees to enter the UK from Europe.

Labour had tabled an amendment to the Immigration bill, backed by the Liberal Democrats and the SNP. Campaigners including Save the Children had called for the children to be allowed in, arguing there was an urgent need to protect them.

However, despite receiving some Conservative suppport the amendment was rejected by 294 to 276.

In arguments rejected by Lib Dem leader Tim Farron as "bogus", ministers said offering sanctuary to children who had already reached Europe could mean more fell into the hands of traffickers.

Speaking in favour of the amendment, Conservative backbencher Stephen Phillips said "exceptional times call for exceptional measures".

He said: "These children are already in Europe. They are alone, far from their families, they are cold, frightened, hungry, frequently without help or access to those who might help or protect them."

Shadow immigration minister Keir Starmer said the argument that admitting the children would create a "pull factor" for more refugees was "flimsy".

He told Radio 4's Today programme that children were sleeping rough with no possessions and nowhere to go and were slipping into sexual exploitation and trafficking.

Labour peers said they would propose an alternative amendment in the House of Lords today. If it succeeds there the matter could be debated again in the House of Commons.

In reponse to Monday's vote, Help Refugees UK, a charity working in the Calais refugee camp where hundreds of unaccompanied minors are living, said: "The children we work with daily have fled terror and conflict in the hope of finding safety on Europe's shores. We are deeply disappointed that Britain's politicians have voted against offering protection to 3000 of these youngsters and that they remain vulnerable to exploitation and inhumane living conditions.

"We will continue to fight for their safeguarding and do everything possible to ensure they do not join the ranks of the 10000 unaccompanied minors that Europol have charted as missing in Europe."

Kirsty McNeill, director of advocacy and campaigns at Save the Children, branded the decision "deeply disappointing."

"Tonight, across Europe, thousands of these children are alone and frightened as they go to sleep on roadsides, in police cells and in informal camps. Some are as young as ten and many of them have fled war and persecution to seek refuge in Europe – they need our help," she said.

"This problem isn't going away, it is getting worse. The government has not yet responded to the groundswell of public support and MPs of all parties who have called for the UK to offer safety to lone children in Europe. As this legislation returns to the House of Lords, parliament still has a chance to live up to Britain's proud history of reaching out a hand to the most vulnerable children who need our help." 

The government's stance was criticised before the vote, with campaigners accusing it of failing to take the needs of lone refugee children seriously. Writing for Christian Today on Friday, Krish Kandiah, founder of the Home for Good adoption and fostering charity, said: "The government is refusing to engage with the unaccompanied child refugee crisis in Europe. This may relate to the political hot potato that Europe is at the moment because of the European referendum. But just because we are considering our political and economic ties to Europe, this does not mean that we can neglect our undisputed moral ties with our neighbours."