IT’S a long way from Syria to Barrow, but the story of Ibrihim and his family, while sad, is ultimately a heart-warming one filled with hope.

Aged just 28, he has witnessed more of man’s inhumanity to man than many of us are ever likely to see in our lifetimes.

But it is heartening to hear that after all the chaos, violence and terror, the Furness area has offered a safe haven for those caught up in the long-running conflict through no fault of their own.

We applaud his willingness to engage and set out the back story which drove his young family to this chilly corner of north west England.

No parent chooses to raise children in a war zone and when politics breaks down, children are the innocents.

As parents, we, of course, always strive for better.

Which one of us could say that in the same circumstances, we would not seek a better life for ourselves elsewhere?

None of us can imagine what this young family has been through, yet all of us has something to offer in some small way.

The work of volunteers at Furness Refugee Support group is a testament to this.

The delicate issue of refugees has been crudely exploited as a political football in recent years.

It is crucial that we hear the other side of this important story of our times.