THE green light has been given by Dudley Council bosses for 20 Afghan families who risked their lives for Britain on the frontline to move to the borough as part of a national relocation programme.

Council bosses have said the families are war veterans who served on the front line in Afghanistan - risking their lives to protect British troops with interpretation and translation services.

The first families are expected to arrive over the summer and they will have access to housing and services as part of the settlement, which is being funded by the government.

But council bosses have insisted they will not be jumping in front of local people currently on the borough's housing waiting list.

Councillor Laura Taylor, Dudley Council's cabinet member for housing and community services, said: "The sacrifice many of these people made in Afghanistan to help protect British troops is extremely moving, and, like local authorities across the country, of course we are happy to help.

“The government funded scheme will mean they will be able to relocate from Afghanistan to our borough and we have set a maximum of 20 families to come here.

"We will be able to access a range of private and social housing so there shouldn’t be any impact on local people already on the housing waiting list.

"We will be working with the families to make sure they have a home in the borough in the most sensible and fair way."

Afghani families will also be relocating to other parts of the Black Country as part of the government scheme to support locally employed staff in Afghanistan, often working in dangerous and challenging situations, in recognition of their commitment and bravery shown supporting UK forces since 2013.