A York hostel is to be the place exhausted refugees from Kosovo will call their home when they first arrive in the city.

Howe Hill Hostel, in Acomb, is one of two to be converted into "reception centres" which will house the refugees for between three and six months.

Teams of workmen were today moving in for a three-week race to get the two centres ready in time.

Using the experience gained from restoring fire-ravaged Park Grove School they aim to have both centres - Howe Hill and The Garth in New Earswick, a former elderly people's home run by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation - ready before June 21, the week the 90 refugees are expected.

City council chiefs revealed today the cost of setting up, staffing and converting the two centres would be around £350,000.

But they stressed the Government had agreed to foot the bill, and there would be no direct cost to the council taxpayers of York.

Peter Berry, the council's assistant director, said today he was confident the people of York would welcome the refugees with open arms.

He said: "This is an exceptional human tragedy. We're supremely confident that the overwhelming majority of York people recognise the human needs of the refugees and will respond to that in a very, very positive manner."

Until the refugees actually arrive in York, council staff will know little about them - who they are, how many young children there are, if there is anyone desperately ill or disabled.

What they do know, though, is that they will be traumatised and exhausted. The council is determined to do everything in its power to make their stay in York as comfortable as possible.

To start with, signs will be put up in the reception centres in both English and Albanian, to help refugees already reeling from their experiences in Kosovo cope with the shock of suddenly finding themselves in a strange country.

All refugees will be registered with a local GP. The council plans to lay on English teaching, and hopes to set up links with local primary schools for children of school age.

Initially, meals will be provided in the communal dining areas.

But officials are keen to set up as many small kitchenettes as possible, so families can quickly move to doing their own cooking and regain some semblance of family life.

And while the Government has promised to foot the bill for the refugees' basic needs, officials will be calling upon the people of York to help provide some extra comforts and luxuries.

They would like eventually to be able to get Albanian newspapers, install a satellite link for Albanian TV, and even set up internet links so refugees can keep in touch with developments in their country and try to trace missing families.

For the time being, though, the council has asked people in the city to hold off making offers of help, until they know exactly what will be needed.

For now, the most urgent need remains Albanian speakers. Anyone able to help with interpretation or translation should contact Catriona Mackenzie at the council's Citizen's Support Group on 01904 551026.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.