The red, yellow and purple flag of the Spanish republic fluttered in the breeze at Caerleon as, 65 years after the end of a bitter civil war, refugees returned to the village that had taken them to their hearts.

Mrs Josefina Savery - formerly Alavarez - was one of the scores of children from the Basque region of Spain who fled the bombs of General Fran-co's rebel forces in the years between 1936 and 1939.

The children were first housed at Cambria House but, when it was requisitioned by the Army at the outbreak of the Second World War, were moved to Pendragon House which is now a bed-and-breakfast house owned by Mrs Bren-da Horton.

"It is very emotional to be back after all these years" Mrs Savery, who was 14 at the time of her flight and who now lives in Risca, said.

"I have driven by lots of times but in 65 years I have never actually stood outside Pendragon House. It is a marvellous thing that has been done here."

The blue plaque over the former refuge's front door in Cross Street was commissioned by the Basque Children of '37 Association through Caerleon Civic Society. It was unveiled by Councillor Gail Giles, Newport council member for Caerleon.

Several other former refugees from other parts of the country were present along with Rosemary Butler, AM for Newport West, Gwent publisher Mr Alan Warren, whose idea the plaque was, Newport deputy mayor Alan Morris, Mr Jim KIrkwood, former Newport councillor and former chairman of Gwent county council, and Mrs Natalia Benjamin from Oxford, the daughter of an anti-Franco refugee and co-founder of the association.

Councillor Morris said: "The bravery of parents who had to do what no parent should be asked to do, which is to hand over their children to the care of others, was matched during the years of the Spanish civil war only by the compassion of Caerleon."