About 32 Syrian refugees are now settling into life in north Cumbria.

The men, women and children fled their war-torn country and have spent the last three months adjusting to life in the county.

Mark Clement, refugee co-ordinator for Cumbria County Council, said: "There are living in the Carlisle and Eden areas and are doing well.

"People have been very welcoming towards them and the council's website has been inundated with offers of help of clothes, toys and bikes. People have been very generous.

"I heard one story where the refugees neighbours had gone out and bought an Arabic to English dictionary so they could converse with each other.

"I sometimes see them in the supermarket when I'm doing my shopping so they are integrating into life here."

The refugees have been registered with doctors and dentists and the children have started school.

The parents are also being offered support to help them find work.

Mr Clement said: "They have been having English language lessons which have been funded through the Government.

"They have also been getting on well with the local community. Events were put on during Ramadan so they could engage with Muslims and they took part in the Carlisle Unity Festival.

"They also enjoyed a day out in with refugees from Lancaster and Dumfries in the Lake District.

"We made sure when they arrived that there was a bag of toys for each child so they had something to play to keep them occupied while we helped the parents with form filling."

The county has said that it can take 285 refugees over the next three years.

Mr Clement said: "The next Home Office flight is due in the Autumn so I would expect to see the next tranche of refugees then.

"We are working with housing associations to identify suitable properties for them."

Some of them are expected to be rehoused in Barrow in October.

The plans to house the refugees were approved by the county council's cabinet in December last year.

People looking to help can contact www.cumbria.gov.uk