AN EAST Lancashire woman who has just returned from an aid mission in Calais has called on the government to do more to help thousands of struggling migrants over there.

Suzanne Bridge went on a 48-hour mercy mission to the French port over the weekend to give out food and medical supplies to some of the 4,000 men, women and children living in refugee camps.

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Miss Bridge, who lives in Burnley, described the migrants, who were mainly Sudanese and Syrian, as “humble” and “polite” but said something needs to be done to help them get out of their “limbo state” as they desperately try to make their way to the UK.

Miss Bridge, 30, said: “The trip was heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. When we met the people out there they were so kind and polite. They were queuing for food and very respectful. People were telling us their stories and they were so harrowing. There were a lot of men over there who had had to leave their families behind and they were showing us videos of their children, which was quite emotional.

“We told them what we were doing over there and they were so grateful that people in Britain were thinking about them.

“But they’re trapped in a state of limbo with nowhere else to go. They’re waiting to get in to a lorry or a train and even in the short time we were there we saw men climbing over fences and trying to get in to the back of lorries.

“It’s great that David Cameron has agreed to take in refugees from Syria, but something needs to be done to help the people stuck in Calais because their situation is becoming increasingly desperate, especially with winter coming.”

Miss Bridge went on the trip with The Humming Bird Project – Calais Aid and Solidarity, which was set up by Elaine Ortiz, an ex-pupil of the former St Hilda’s RC High School in Burnley.

Whilst in Calais she distributed food in pop-up soup kitchens set up by The Real Junk Food Project and helped treat people’s wounds in the notorious Jungle camp.

In two weeks The Humming Bird Project will return to Calais to distribute a large quantity of tents, clothes, shoes and camping equipment donated by people in East Lancashire.

Miss Bridge added: “A massive thank you goes out to everyone who dropped off donations.”