David Cameron announces Britain will accept 'thousands more' Syrian refugees

Announcement comes after The Independent's campaign was backed by more than 250,000 people

David Cameron finally broke his silence on the Syrian refugee crisis after pictures of the dead Syrian refugee boy Aylan Kurdi emerged on Wednesday (Ben A. Pruchnie/Getty Images)

David Cameron has announced that Britain will take in "thousands more" Syrian refugees after an outpouring of public support for the UK to do more.

The Prime Minister, speaking on a visit to Portugal, said Britain "will act with our head and our heart" to help solve the growing humanitarian crisis stemming from the four-year civil war in Syria.

It has led to four million Syrians fleeing the country and risking their lives by crossing the Mediterranean as they seek sanctuary in Europe.

The announcement from Mr Cameron this morning came after politicians of all parties and more than 250,000 ordinary Britons signed an Independent petition demanding he abandon his stance after the publication of horrifying photos of Aylan Kurdi, a dead Syrian boy who washed up on a Turkish beach.

More to follow...