REFUGEES stranded in northern France are “more afraid of starving than they are of Covid-19,” a charity said today as it called for urgent support.

About 3,000 asylum-seekers are believed to be living around Calais and Dunkirk but are struggling to survive after many charities, including those providing hot meals, were forced to pull out due to the outbreak.

Care4Calais, one of the groups still working in the area, has overhauled its operations in order to give out food parcels rather than its usual distributions of toiletries and clothes.