A KOSOVAN refugee, who fled his homeland after discovering his name was on a hit list, has issued a heartfelt thanks to a Swindon charity for helping him start a new life.

Joe which is not his real name arrived in this country with his wife and two children on October 19, 1998, after escaping from the family's home in the former Yugoslavia. They were among the lucky ones.

Members of Joe's family and some of his closest friends were among the thousands of people killed in the bloody conflict.

He is still so traumatised over events in his homeland he asked to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals.

But despite his ordeal, Joe has built a new life for his family and was among more than 100 refugees who gathered at St Luke's Hall in Broad Street on Saturday to celebrate their new-found freedom.

"My country was at war," explained Joe.

"My wife and I had good jobs, but I found out that my name was on a hit list. So we arranged to leave Kosovo by lorry and we arrived in London.

"We had to leave our family and go straight away because otherwise we would have been killed. Some of my friends and my cousins died during the war but the rest of my family survived.

"I went back to see them for the first time last year and for me the country had changed a lot.

"Everything was destroyed during the war and now they are rebuilding their lives."

When Joe and his wife arrived in Swindon they were given help and support from the Harbour Project, which offers drop-in sessions five days a week for those beginning a new life in the town.

"The Harbour Project helped us get our children into school and to learn English," Joe said.

"I am now working as a technician and my wife returned to work in a bank. My life has improved so much, except for one thing the weather! Because we are Mediterranean we are used to warmer weather."

Saturday's get-together was organised by the Swindon Catholics Justice and Peace Group in partnership with the Harbour Project and had its own problems with the elements.

The original event was scheduled to feature a barbecue at Lydiard Park but, due to the inclement weather, organisers had to switch the venue to St Luke's Hall.

Sahar Gul, 40, who came to this country from Pakistan last November, praised organisers for making Swindon's refugees feel welcome.

He said: "I did not know anybody when I came to Swindon, but the Harbour Project helped look after my kids, helped me with clothing everything. They have given me a life."