IT has been revealed that Redditch will be the first town in the county to take in Syrian Refugees.

The first three families (comprising eight refugees) will be resettled in town at the end of June.

Two families are linked and will be put in the same property.

Worcestershire County Council is liaising with the Home Office to arrange for a further four families to arrive in mid-July who will be resettled in a further two homes in Redditch and two in Kidderminster.

Councillor Bill Hartnett, leader of Redditch Borough Council said: "As leader of the council, I am delighted that Redditch is resettling the very first Syrian refugee families arriving in Worcestershire. It’s a historic moment, and I’m proud that our borough can play such an important role in changing these families’ lives for the better.

"We have been working closely with a range of agencies, including the county council, education, health, Refugee Action and private landlords, to ensure families are well-supported from day one. Our local communities are keen to help out too of course so everything’s in place, ready for their arrival."

The county council, working with Refugee Action to support all adults, young people and children coming to Redditch, is currently looking for private sector landlords to identify properties in other districts to resettle further families later this year.

The resettlement scheme is funded from the Foreign Aid budget with further resources invested into the local NHS and Education by the Government.

Councillor Lucy Hodgson, cabinet member with responsibility for localism and communities said: "We are all aware of the terrible suffering that is being caused by the war in Syria, and we are very proud that Worcestershire will house some of the most vulnerable people affected by this conflict.

"It has always been vital that we ensure the right infrastructure and support networks are in place to fully support arriving refugees and help every individual settle into their new community. This has only been made possible thanks to the superb work of everybody involved."

A spokesman from Refugee Action added: "We're delighted to be working with our partners to welcome Syrian refugees across the county over the coming months.

"Building on over 30 years’ experience of resettlement, our dedicated staff and volunteers look forward to working closely with our partners to ensure these individuals and families, who have faced unimaginable horrors, are enabled to rebuild their lives in dignity."