TEAMS of Bradford aid workers in Serbia and Greece say they heard "shocking" accounts from refugees fleeing for their lives from war-torn countries.

The volunteers left the city earlier this month to take part in the latest mercy mission being organised by the Bradford-based international aid organisation, the Human Relief Foundation (HRF).

Adam Kelwick, HRF's project coordination manager, said the teams had been conducting emergency assessments around the Balkans and the Greek islands of Kos and Leros, where conditions were "deteriorating rapidly" for those attempting to escape war and oppression in their homelands.

HRF has set up a new Path of Mercy appeal to help and Mr Kelwick hopes people in Bradford will get behind volunteers and workers by raising and donating money to buy gloves, shoes, and other winter essentials for the most vulnerable refugees.

He said the situation was being made even worse due to a change in public opinion towards the refugee crisis pre and post-Christmas.

Mr Kelwick said aid workers in Serbia had been working with local humanitarian organisations to help desperate groups of people walking more than 45km through forests and mountains, just to make it to the safety of a refugee camp.

"At a time when public opinion is not as favourable towards the plight of these people as it was a few months ago, we have to be here more than ever to help provide the basic humanitarian necessities to the vulnerable families and children," said Mr Kelwick.

"With the snow and cold, refugees have been finding it even harder to survive.

"One aid worker living in Serbia said he saw refugees walking in front of his building in the freezing cold but he couldn’t drive them as it’s illegal.

"Instead, aid workers guided them to the refugee camp, providing them with winter essentials."

Mr Kelwick and his HRF team are currently working in the same area of Kos the family of three-year-old Aylan Kurdi, the little boy whose body was washed up on a beach, was trying to reach.

Aylan's death from drowning in the Mediterranean Sea made headlines across the world.

Refugees spoke to the HRF team about the perilous journey they faced across the sea from Turkey, on worn-down flooded boats.

One refugee told the team: "We bought our own boat with the last bit of money we had. The waves were so bad and there were 20 people crammed in our boat.

"It was flooded but we made it across in time. We are so lucky to be alive."

The Path of Mercy appeal is also helping provide provisions for refugees across Europe, including basic toiletries, blankets, and tarpaulins for the Jungle refugee camp at Calais, where more than 3,500 people are camping out in primitive conditions.

Visit www.justgiving.com/path-of-mercy1 to donate to the appeal.