Express
A group of 20 migrants were rehoused in the city under the Government’s 'Syrian vulnerable person scheme'.
Nine relatives, three adults and six children, ended up in a hotel for a week after they left their council houses over safety fears.
The family reportedly received abuse and threats from neighbours which left them wanting to be returned to their ravaged homeland rather than stay in the northern town.
The clan were left “crying and shaking” after the confrontation, which is said to have started when one of the Syrian’s allegedly told a neighbour to keep the noise down.
Councillors acted to re-house the troupe after a “derogatory” comment was made about the refugees.
A second family on the scheme decided to move out of their council house in protest
The local council was forced to re-house both families, putting them up in emergency bed and breakfast accommodation.
But volunteers have accused council chiefs of failing to heed warnings about hostile locals in some parts of town.
The Reverend Sally Smith, who runs the Sanctus charity for asylum seekers and refugees, took in the family in the immediate aftermath.
She said: “Since the announcement that the council would offer homes to 20 Syrian refugees from a camp, church groups have offered their assistance and forums have been held in the hope that several people could work together to offer a warm welcome to any newly-arriving families.
Councillor Conteh added they were doing everything they could to support the families
"However, the council chose not to engage with any of us and resettled the families themselves, without taking into account the type of community they were settling them into."
The vicar of St Mark's Church in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, added: "The family were shaking and crying and even asked to be taken back to Syria."
Councillor Randy Conteh, cabinet member for housing, said other families were settling in well.
He added: “Three of the families were met with the support of local people that our city is famous for.
The local council was forced to re-house both families, putting them up in emergency B&B
"Unfortunately a very isolated incident occurred at a neighbouring property of the fourth family which was directed at our staff after they asked a neighbour to turn their music down.
"To avoid this unsettling the family - who were indoors at the time - we acted swiftly and have moved these family members into alternative accommodation, with support for the children and all of the family, while we look at appropriate housing for them.”
Two other families who arrived were moved into three or four bedrooms houses, and school places were found for their children.
Councillor Conteh added they were doing everything they could to support the families.