STUDENTS from an Oswaldtwistle school had the humbling experience of meeting and listening to the story of a Holocaust survivor.

Iby Knill spoke to year 10 and 11 students, staff and parents from Rhyddings Business and Enterprise School about her experience as a political prisoner at the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp.

Born in Czechoslovakia in 1923, she lived in Bratislava until having to flee to Hungary in 1942 and was eventually rounded up and transported to Auschwitz in 1944.

She was able to survive thanks to her ability to speak six languages and was given work as a nurse despite having no medical training.

Freed by the Allied Forces in 1945, she later married a British soldier and moved to England.

Iby featured in the BBC series ‘My Story’ in 2010 and has since written two books and spoken about her life to thousands of people at various events.

The year 11 students will be visiting both Auschwitz and Kraków-P?aszów in November along with Karen and Cat Handford from the charity Wil’s Wishes, who are funding the trip.

Wil’s Wishes was set up after Karen lost her son William to bowel cancer aged 24.

The charity aims to raise awareness of bowel cancer in young people and provide students with opportunities they might not otherwise get to experience.

In return, Wil’s Wishes will become one of Rhyddings’ supported charities.