A COUNCIL which took in 22 evacuees from a volcano-ravaged island has been asked if it will set up homes for more.

The Home Office has asked Blackburn with Darwen Council bosses if they will take in more people from Montserrat after the success of last week's operation.

Twenty-two people aged from two to 77-years-old fled to Blackburn after their homes on the Caribbean island were destroyed or threatened by the volcano.

A Blackburn with Darwen spokeswoman said: "We have been asked to take in some more but at this stage we are not."

Meanwhile, the evacuees are said to be settling in well to life in East Lancashire, despite dramatic changes in the climate.

The four families are believed to be moving into their new council homes this week but no details are being released.

Some have already enjoyed a trip to Ewood Park to watch Blackburn Rovers play and other activities are being lined up by the Preston-based Montserrat Association.

Home Office spokesman Lee Bailey said 1,800 Montserratians had come to Britain so far and an appeal was still on-going for housing.

He said: "There are still around 4,600 people on the island, of which 2,000 have expressed an interest to come over to Britain, so there is an obvious demand for housing."

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