Felixstowe is among a number of towns expected to pull its weight after Suffolk's councils united to pledge their support in the Afghan refugee crisis, saying "times like these call for acts of humanity".

The county's authorities were briefed by the Government late Wednesday afternoon on the resettlement scheme, which will allow 20,000 Afghans fleeing the Taliban to seek shelter on UK shores.

The meeting however did not give an indication of how many refugees would be expected to be housed by the county's authorities, but in a joint statement the six authorities pledged to play their part.

"On Wednesday 18 August, the Government announced its new resettlement scheme for Afghan refugees," the statement read.

"Whilst the full details are yet to be confirmed, it is crystal clear that the Government needs local authorities everywhere to step up and support this national effort.

"All councils in Suffolk are committed to this cause.

"We have already helped a small number of Afghan interpreters and their families to resettle in Suffolk, in addition to ongoing work to support unaccompanied asylum seeking children and other refugees entering the UK.

"In the coming days and weeks, the district, borough and county councils will continue working with the Government to do what we can to provide assistance to vulnerable refugees.

"Times like this call for acts of humanity. Suffolk will play its part."

The pledge came after the Taliban took control of Kabul earlier this week and government leaders fled the country.

It led to a heated debate in an emergency session in the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon, in which the US government's decision to withdraw troops was widely criticised.

Among some of the priority refugees seeking shelter are women and girls, translators, and those who supported UK and US forces over the last two decades.

Suffolk Refugee Support said it is continuing to work with its clients who have loved ones caught up in the crisis.

"Already we are hearing from Afghan refugees in Suffolk that family members have been killed back home," the organisation said in a statement on its website.

"We welcome the UK government's commitment to a new resettlement scheme to allow 20,000 Afghan refugees to rebuild their lives in safety here over the next five years, but we know that the scale of displacement, suffering and need is already great and will only increase."

Felixstowe town council has been approached for comment but has not yet responded.

*Would you like to help Afghan refugees and what could you offer? Contact: [email protected]