A member of an Ilkley family who played host to a holocaust survivor in the 1940s has been reunited with the boy they helped after reading about him in the Gazette.

Former Ilkley man John Plows, 77, contacted the Gazette after reading in last week’s edition about Dutch refugee Arnold Vanderhorst.

The story of Mr Vanderhorst is among those to feature in an exhibition at Ilkley Library about holocaust survivors and refugees fleeing the Nazis who were sent to Ilkley in the 1930s and 1940s.

The Quaker community and residents of European descent in the Ilkley area joined forces to provide accommodation for Jewish people as the Second World War approached.

Mr Vanderhorst came to Ilkley in 1945.

Under German occupation of Holland, his mother had handed herself in to the Nazis, leaving him and his sister with trusted neighbours.

He lived with his foster family until 1944 when they fled to the woods, living in a wooden shelter until they were liberated by Canadian forces in 1945.

Mr Vanderhorst was sent to Ilkley to recuperate, as a malnourished ten-year-old boy.

He lived with the Plows family on Cunliffe Road.

Mr Plows said he had not heard from Mr Vanderhorst since the 1940s, and did not know he was still alive, until he read the article last week.

Since then, family members have managed to make contact.

Mr Plows, who lives in the Wirral today, said he remembered playing football and cricket with Arnold.

“Unfortunately, the poor lad had scarlet fever when he was with us and he had to be admitted to the isolation hospital in Menston,” said Mr Plows.

But one of his happier memories of staying with the Plows family was said to be the crab sandwiches made by Mr Plows’ mother, which he particularly appreciated.

The Holocaust Survivors exhibition contrinues at Ilkley Library until February 10.