A Walton vicar flew out to a refugee camp in Jordan to help displaced Syrian refugees.

Rev Claire Hargreaves, minister of the Guildford Methodist circuit, visited Jordan last month for two weeks.

It is believed more than 1.4m Syrians have taken refuge in the region as a result of the ongoing conflict in Syria.

Rev Hargreaves visited Za’atari, Jordan’s largest refugee camp, just 7km from the Syrian border, where about 80,000 refugees who have fled their war-torn homeland are staying.

She said: “They’ve given up on saying, ‘I want to go back to Syria.

“Being in a camp, it is not freedom. It feels as if you can’t get out. It’s very sad, because you can see their spirits being broken.

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Rev Claire Hargreaves with aid workers at the camp

“Because it is such a long standing crisis, the aid for these people is being gradually withdrawn.”

Rev Hargreaves helped raise funds for the charity All We Can, which works with church-based charities in Jordan.

She visited the homes of several refugee families within the camp and the surrounding town.

Elmbridge Council said it would work with the Government and other authorities and agencies to provide whatever assistance it could to Syrian families.

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A family of refugees at Jordan's largest refugee camp

Earlier this year a statement from the council said: “We will, of course, look to meet the needs of displaced families and we are liaising with local landlords, social housing providers, voluntary and faith sectors and with members of our community who may be able to provide short and long term accommodation and practical support.

“We are currently assisting a small number that have already made their way here.”

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