THE MP for Banbury is calling for renewed efforts to help those caught up in Syrian conflict after travelling to a refugee camp in Jordan.

Victoria Prentis visited the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan for three nights last week to learn about the situation faced by its 80,000 residents.

Despite being impressed by work on the site itself the MP made a chilling discovery about the fate of thousands more trapped in a desert area known as 'the Berm'.

She said: "The camps are amazing, fantastically organised and not at all how you would imagine. They are not fun, but they are safe and calm and ordered.

"The really bad thing is the people who aren't in the camps and nobody internationally is talking about them."

Since the Jordanian border closed on June 21 this year up to 70,000 people - mostly women and children - have been stranded on the Syrian border and cut off from aid.

Mrs Prentis said: "They are just starving. It's horrific. I wake up at night worrying about this area and what we need to do is to start talking hard about it."

Last Christmas, Mrs Prentis launched Singing for Syrians, a UK-wide initiative encouraging people to hold carol concerts to raise money for aid in the war-ravaged country.

A total of £90,000 was raised last year for Christian Aid and the Hands Up Foundation, with hundreds of people taking part in local events in Banbury.

She said: "I will be redoubling efforts to focus on Syrians this year because I'm confident that money goes to a really desperate situation."

For more information or to get involved in fundraising efforts visit www.singingforsyrians.com