It was a sight a Tayside couple will never forget.

Mike and Rona Archibald were enjoying a holiday to Europe and were about to catch a train from Vienna to Cologne.

But within minutes of entering the train, they were surrounded by hundreds of refugees.

All were desperate to get on the train and soon were “everywhere”, covering the carriageways, seats — and even the roof.

It was an experience the Perth couple will never forget.

Mike described the “emotional” experience to the Tele.

He said: “At Vienna station there were around 500 immigrants jammed onto the same train as us.

“The train was three hours late in leaving as they had to get immigrants off the roof of the train first. The fear was they would be electrocuted by the cables.

“These poor folk were everywhere, the aisles, in between carriages, sitting in seats, perched on the side of seats.

“Every bit of space was taken up by a human tide of folk, men, women, youths, children, babies, grandparents all desperate to get into Germany.

“Despite their troubles, despite all that they had experienced in war zones, they remained polite and articulate.

“And a lot of them were also very bright.

“Rona and I were taken with not only their plight, but their conduct.

“They had nothing except what they stood up in yet there was no anger, no animosity, no arguing.

“Rona and I became very emotional. Here were people torn from their homelands, torn from their families, embarking on a journey of hope.

“The train stopped regularly and it was an absolute joy to see Austrian and German people handing over food and drink at the various stops.

“Some politicians may not want to help, but the people we saw showed they were only too keen to do so.

“It was a great example of human spirit.”

Mike and Rona, who are both involved with the Perth Foodbank, are now hoping to see refugees brought into Tayside.

Mike added: “We want them and we’re ready for them.

“We are bringing in extra stock to the Foodbank.

“We’ll cope all right, we’ll make sure we will.

“We knew the plight of these people was desperate prior to what we saw with our own eyes.

“TV can tell the story but it’s only when Rona and I saw it first hand that we realised just how desperate these people are. The experience we have just had was very, very emotional.”

Apart from their devotion to the Perth Foodbank, Mike and Rona are right at the heart of the street pastor work in Perth.

Earlier this week, the Tele reported that several tonnes of goods have been donated by Dundee residents to help refugees.

Support groups — including Dundee Refugee Support — have been set up across Tayside.

A range of items, including clothing, food and tents, have been donated.

On Monday, Dundee City Council approved a motion which will see the city offer a “safe haven” to those fleeing the war in the Middle East.

SNP administration leader Ken Guild said at the council meeting: “These people are refugees, they are people fleeing for their lives. We have a reputation in Dundee of being a welcoming city and we must give them a safe haven.”