Students heard first hand about the horrors of the living through the second World War from Tomi Komoly.

Year Nine students at Pleckgate High School, Blackburn listened to a testimony from Holocaust survivor Mr Komoly as part of a visit organised by the Holocaust Educational Trust (HET).

He talked of the roar of German tanks coming up the street in Budapest in 1944 when he was seven years old and how he became a refugee, and how he was welcomed with open arms to Austria in the 1950s before going to university in Glasgow and working as an engineer.

“I was pleased to see in Pleckgate’s newsletter a story about their anti-bullying ambassadors,” said Tomi. “Bullying should not be tolerated anywhere and bullying was one of the United Nation’s origins of genocide or mass killing."

Head of Re Jenny Savage said, “It was a privilege for us to welcome Tomi to our school and his testimony will remain a powerful reminder of the horrors so many experienced.

“We are grateful to the Holocaust Educational Trust for co-ordinating the visit and we hope that by hearing Tomi’s testimony, it will encourage our students to learn from the lessons of the Holocaust and make a positive difference in their own lives.”

The testimony was followed by a question and answer session to enable students to better understand the nature of the Holocaust and to explore its lessons in more depth.

The visit is part of the Holocaust Educational Trust’s extensive all year round Outreach Programme, which is available to schools across the UK.

Karen Pollock MBE, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust added: “The Holocaust Educational Trust educates and engages students from across the UK, from all communities about the Holocaust and there can be no better way than through the first-hand testimony of a survivor. Tomi’s story is one of tremendous courage during horrific circumstances and by hearing his testimony, students will have the opportunity to learn where prejudice and racism can ultimately lead.

“At the Trust, we impart the history of the Holocaust to young people, to ensure that we honour the memory of those whose lives were lost and take forward the lessons taught by those who survived.”