REFUGEES forced out of their homes in countries including war-torn Syria will start arriving in Cumbria in April.

The county was one of the first areas to offer assistance when the Government asked for support to help refugees.

But the move was delayed because of the devastation caused by Storm Desmond and the need to house those affected by flooding.

The UK is aiming to resettle 20,000 Syrian refugees across the country by 2020.

This week it was announced that Cumbria will play its part by accepting 285 refugees - 95 each year over the next three - from established camps.

South Lakeland District Council (SLDC) has agreed to house ten of the refugees following a commitment made by the Cumbria Leaders’ Board.

Matthew Connolly, from Bowston, near Kendal, knows first-hand the importance of giving hope to refugees after seeing their plight while delivering aid to the recently-demolished Jungle camp in Calais and to a facility at Dunkirk, both in France.

He said many more refugees are living in ‘inhumane, over-crowded’ conditions in countries such as Greece and Turkey.

“A lot of the international media’s focus has been on France but those who survived the crossing of the sea from countries like Syria are now languishing in disused industrial units being supported by volunteers,” he said.

SLDC will work with its partners in the private and public sector to help find appropriate accommodation, a process described as ‘complex’ by a council spokesperson.

“We may be looking at finding just three properties per year for refugees but these will have to be carefully matched,” the spokesperson said.

Mr Connolly said he was aware of hundreds of people in South Lakeland who had offered up their home as a safe haven for refugees.

Council leader Cllr Giles Archibald said: “I am sure the people of South Lakeland will extend a warm welcome to help these families when they arrive.

“Following the floods our priority was, quite rightly, to attend to the immediate needs of our own residents.

“Now we are in a position to do our bit to help the refugee crisis. I am sure our district will do its best to help these people in their desperate time of need.”