Five children from the war-torn province of Kosovo stowed away to England in a lorry with their families living on biscuits for three days.

The children, aged from ten to 13, saw their homes being burnt and other atrocities before managing to escape by paying enormous sums to travel in lorries.

They are now studying at Donnington Middle School in Oxford and even enjoy the school dinners. For up to two years before they left Kosovo, they could not attend school and were taught in houses in their villages.

They are now part of a 350-pupil school.

The children are living with their families in the Oxford area and despite having fled their country emptyhanded, have contributed to a lorry load of food being taken to Albania for the refugees there.

Two arrived eight months ago but already speak very good English. Two arrived just two months ago and are finding it difficult to grasp what is happening to them.

All were helped by the Oxford-based charity Asylum Seekers and aid worker Diana Tickell but have very little. The children have taken much of the responsibility for organising their new lives in this country and so, in the words of their teacher Mrs Diana Moore, 'have the world on their shoulders'.

The children have left their grandparents and aunts and uncles behind and have no idea where they are or whether they are safe. In many cases they have no souvenirs of their homeland and nothing to link them with the country they left behind.

*Full report: See Features

Story date: Saturday 24 April

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