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Calais kids hope court lets them join families in Britain

FOUR children living in the Calais refugee camp hope to be reunited with their relatives in Britain after a court hearing in London today.

Campaigners supporting the children’s asylum case expect the result to set a legal precedent for children and young people trying to enter Britain.

The trial comes as nearly £6,000 raised to buy Jeremy Corbyn his “dream bike” looked set to instead go into the coffers of charities working with refugees in Calais.

Citizens UK spokesman George Gabriel said the group hoped the hearing of the four refugee children would “be positive.

“That’s the only way to bring order to chaos, stop people risking their lives and put the traffickers out of business.”

One Syrian boy is hoping to join his brother Ahmed, whose name has been changed, in London.

“He is traumatised by his experiences of the war,” said Ahmed.

“I think this partly explains the risky things he has been doing to try and join me here in the UK.

“He says he has seen death with his own eyes and isn’t worried about taking risks anymore.

“My wife and I will be his family, his mother and father, brother and sister. I will make sure he goes to school and is safe.”

According to Calais Migrant Solidarity, at least five people died in the last the last three months attempting to cross the border — two of them teenagers.

Tom Jordan started a crowdfunding bid to raise £475 for a bicycle — and to “annoy the right-wing press” — after newspapers lambasted Mr Corbyn for desiring a mid-priced commuter bike.

But after the Labour leader said he’d prefer the money went to charity, Mr Jordan suggested the cash should go to Calais Action, saying: “I am aware that our Jezza has already displayed support” for the charity.

He said he’d contacted Mr Corbyn’s office to enquire if he had a preference.

Mr Jordan added: “I was recently in Calais and Dunkirk with Calais Action, and the situation particularly in Dunkirk is pretty grim.

“Also, giving aid to refugees abroad is a perfect way to stick it to the right-wing press again, because we all know how compassionately they have treated this humanitarian crisis.”

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