A Syrian refugee family has settled well in St Albans according to a progress report prepared for a council scrutiny committee.

Souhaila and her husband and daughter moved to the area from Lebanon, last year.

Two other families also relocated, after leaving their home country in 2014. The families spent almost two years in camps before being accepted into the UK.

The families were taken in by St Albans District Council to support the Government’s Syrian Vulnerable Person Relocation Scheme.

Souhaila, whose first name is being withheld at her request, spoke publicly for the first time about her new life and said: “This time last year we were living in the cold in Lebanon, but this year we’re in a home that has heating.

“We’re so thankful to St Albans Council for helping us, and to our neighbours and local community for all of their help. We’ve been pleasantly surprised about how welcoming people have been here.

“We haven’t wanted for anything. We’re now all learning English and we’ve begun doing voluntary work locally.

“Of course we’re homesick from time to time and we miss our family, but we are happier here. We feel much safer.”

The council has agreed to take in around 10 refugees a year, for the next five years.