“COLEFORD resident” (Review April 29 is scaremongering over the limited number of refugee families due to arrive in the area by giving us impressions based on the most conservative areas of the Middle East rather than the reality amongst Syrians –it being Syrians who are being settled under the government scheme.

Far from being “plagued with fears of their archaic, violent and barbaric religions” the refugees I have encountered have been peace-loving, intelligent, well-educated and resourceful.

“Coleford resident” tells us that a family “can normally be a man, several wives, a lot of children, grandparents uncles, aunts and a large number of cousins”.

In fact, while there is strong loyalty to extended family (as indeed there is among many British families), the normal Syrian household size is about six in rural areas and less in urban areas.

Far from the refuge scheme leading to a spread of polygamy to Britain, we have a chance of saving Syrian women from forced polygamy.

Syrian refugee women in Turkey who would not have dreamed of entering polygamous marriages in their own country are being forced into them out of desperation. They are being preyed upon by men in Turkey.

The British government scheme, although inadequate in my view, does at least provide opportunities for some families to escape sexual exploitation.

These families deserve our support and protection not demonisation.

– Peter Strong, Caldicot.