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A city councillor has called on members of the public to drive cars filled with food and clothes to Calais as Europe’s migrant crisis continues.

While a protest rally in Newcastle on Saturday will call on the Government to accept more refugees.

David Cameron is reportedly willing to accept 15,000 refugees, and Home Secretary Theresa May will meet with other EU leaders next Monday - but Newcastle Unites protestors say the UK Government must show a more “humanitarian and compassionate response” to the crisis.

Newcastle councillor Dipu Ahad, meanwhile, is appealing for people to drive cars filled with aid to France on Saturday October 17 to help families camping there.

He also says Newcastle United FC should be following the example of clubs like Real Madrid, who will donate £1m to help refugees, and Bayern Munich and Celtic, who are offering support.

The refugee crisis is believed to be the biggest movement of people since the Second World War as an unprecedented number of people attempt to escape the terror of ISIS in countries like Syria by travelling to the EU.

The demonstration, jointly organised by Unite Against Fascism, Newcastle Unites and Newcastle Stop the War Coalition, will assemble at the Centre for Life at 10am on Saturday.

In a statement organiserd said: “The government response to this has been disgraceful. Unlike Germany, Italy and Greece, Britain has not offered a safe haven for these people.

“On Monday September 14 Home Secretary Theresa May will be meeting with EU leaders about the refugee crisis. We must learn the lessons of history and call on the government to take a humanitarian and compassionate response to refugees, and to meet its share of the responsibility for providing protection.”

The rally takes place ahead of a city meeting at Newcastle Civic Centre on Saturday at 11am.

Daniel Kebede, a teacher from Wallsend, is North East regional coordinator for Unite Against Fascism. He added: “This refugee crisis is horrific and the reaction by the government has been terrible.

“We’ve seen politicians and the press refer to people in need as ‘marauding’ and a ‘swarm’. This needs condemning in the strongest possible terms.”

Coun Ahad said Newcastle United must respond as the city’s football club.

He said: “Newcastle has a history of migration, from the Romans to the Irish and Asian communities establishing themselves today. Newcastle United is a club close to our hearts and we really want them to put their hand in their pocket and help refugees.”

He also called on people to join him, Northumberland councillor Laura Pidcock, Newcastle councillor Mick Bowman and others travelling to Calais on October 17.

He said: “We want to take an entourage with us. We want to encourage as many people as possible to join us. We don’t want to take just one or two cars. We want to take a convoy of 60 or 70.”

Newcastle United referred this newspaper to a statement by the Premier League, which highlighting a number of coaching and education projects helping Syrian refugees at camps in Egypt. The Premier League is also in talks with Prince Ali of Jordan to hold similar projects. Newcastle first-team midfielder Gael Bigirimana was also a child refugee.

Anyone interested in helping with the aid convoy can contact Coun Ahad by email on dipu.ahad@newcastle.gov.uk.