CAMPAIGNERS have made an impassioned plea for Worcestershire to take in more Syrian refugees - saying the county has an opportunity to "save lives".

Ruth Forecast, who helped lead the campaign to get 50 Syrians settled into Worcestershire over the last year, wants council chiefs to expand the programme.

It comes as Worcestershire County Council's Conservative leadership rules out any immediate action, saying it wants to "focus on the needs" of the existing group.

The existing Syrians are now settled into properties in Worcester, Kidderminster and Redditch under a tailor-made support programme funded by the Home Office.

Ms Forecast wants the council to now accept additional children under a national scheme called DUBS, which is seeing 480 youngsters relocated in Britain.

She attended a full council meeting to speak of the horrors volunteers witness at refugee camps like Calais.

"What they are witnessing, just a few hours from here, is beyond belief," she said.

"Children and families are asleep in the streets in Calais, hungry and without access to medical care.

"They are making dangerous attempts to cross the channel."

She added: "I know we can't help anyone, but in Worcestershire we have an opportunity to change or save lives."

She also said the 50 arrivals had settled in so well it was "beyond everyone's highest expectations".

Councillor Lucy Hodgson, the cabinet member for communities, has ruled out expanding it for now, saying the existing group will remain the priority.

"Since July 2016 we have resettled 14 Syrian families, that is the 50 refugees which fulfilled a commitment made by Worcestershire's leaders last year," she said.

"The needs for refugees are complex and diverse, some will struggle more than others, it will take time for all of them to fully integrate."

Former Prime Minister David Cameron made a pledge that Britain would house 23,000 desperate Syrians by 2020, urging councils across the country to help.

Councillors at County Hall initially refused to assist, citing fears over the costs, but relented early last year after the Government promised a substantial funding package.

The Home Office paid their relocation costs is stumping up £5,000 per-head from the foreign aid budget.

Financial support for them will carry on until 2020, but the per-head sum will begin to taper down from 2018.

Last month the Worcester News revealed how the number of lone child asylum seekers being taken into care in Worcestershire has more than doubled in a year, from 10 to 26.