TRAUMATISED Kosovar refugees arrived in Blackburn yesterday and immediately began to pour their hearts out to the council staff whose will care for them.

One hundred and thirty eight people were taken to two former homes for the elderly in Dunoon Drive, Shadsworth and Shorrock Lane, Mill Hill, after arriving at Manchester Airport.

Staff had already been warned that the group, from a refugee camp in Macedonia, and were among the most traumatised of those who have come to the North West.

Those who met them at their temporary new homes were reported by a council spokeswoman to be "humbled" by the experience of listening to what the Kosovars had to say.

Among the arrivals were two pregnant women who are due to give birth any day, another pregnant woman and a child who had to be taken to hospital with a bronchial disorder.

There was also a tearful reunion at Manchester Airport for one family as they were met by relatives who were being accommodated in London.

David Kerambrum, assistant director of social services at Blackburn with Darwen Council met the refugees at the airport and stayed with them as they were registered by the immigration service in Manchester.

He said: "The thing that struck me the most was how quiet they were. They were composed and dignified but also very quiet. "We don't as yet know exactly where they are from but they were obviously traumatised by their experiences."

Eighty four refugees will be housed at the Laneside home while 54 will be accommodated at Shadsworth House.

Family groups with young children have been placed at Shadsworth because the home is not as close to a main road as Laneside.

At the Laneside home Councillor Sue Reid, chairman of the council's social services committee told the refugees they were safe and that they would not have to do anything they did not want to do.

She was applauded by the refugees when she said she hoped they would enjoy their stay in Blackburn.

Workmen laboured around the clock to have the two homes ready in time for the arrival of the refugees and the government will be paying for all the work and the other costs involved with accommodating the Kosovars.

Jennie Grunshaw, the manager of the home said she was proud of her staff and the hard work they have put in.

She added: "They have been absolutely tremendous I cannot praise them enough."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.