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Daily highlights readers’ refugee efforts with live blog

A live blog featuring updates from three readers who sacrificed their holiday to help with Europe’s refugee crisis is being run on a regional daily’s website.

The Worcester News is following the fortunes of the Horton family, who had booked a break to the Greek island of Lesbos before the crisis escalated.

Now parents John and Patricia, and son Stephen, have given up their usual activities to help with the humanitarian efforts on the island – all of which is being reported on the blog.

The idea for the blog came about when reporter Catherine Phillips was speaking to the Hortons’ other son, Thomas, about a separate story.

A screenshot of the blog on the Worcester News website

A screenshot of the blog on the Worcester News website

She said: “He asked when his article would appear in the paper because he wanted to save a copy because his family were on holiday.

“I happened to ask where they were which is when he explained what they were doing.

“For 20 years they have holidayed in Lesbos but this year they were returning as normal but decided to get involved with helping the refugees after seeing the enormity of what other volunteers as well as the refugees were facing.”

The family have been keeping the News abreast with eyewitness developments via Twitter and email, with pictures and videos added to the blog as they are received.

Catherine added: “It makes for compelling reading and viewing but still it is hard to comprehend what these people (refugees) are going through.

“What the couple and their son are doing is incredible but they also want to let others know that Lesbos is still a safe island to visit and they hope their accounts will help tourists return to the Greek isle.”