A Wallington man said it was “like a dream” when the first teenagers arriving in Britain from the ‘jungle’ camp in Calais included his nephew.

Fourteen children aged between 14 and 17 arrived yesterday as a fast-track system was launched to transfer youngsters from the camp before it is demolished.

As the group were loaded on to a minibus at Lunar House in Croydon after a day of assessment and screening at the Home Office building, there was a chance for a brief embrace with loved ones.

One of those waiting was Jan Ghazi, 37, who had not seen his 16-year-old nephew for seven years.

Mr Ghazi said: "Seven years. It was when I saw his eyes, from when he was a child seven years ago - I recognised his eyes."

He added: "This was not enough after seven years, it was like a dream."

Haris had made a harrowing journey to the squalid camp in Calais from Afghanistan, his uncle said, fleeing with his brother, who was later killed by people smugglers in Iran.

A spokesman for the Home Office said: "This is the start of the process to transfer as many eligible children as possible before the start of the clearance, as the home secretary set out in Parliament."

The young people are to be cared for in specialist temporary accommodation for a short period before they are reunited with their loved ones, the Home Office said.

The arrival of the group, made up of youngsters said to originate from a variety of war-ravaged countries, including Syria and Sudan, has been welcomed by charities and faith leaders.

Dozens more children are expected to arrive this week after a team of British officials were sent to Calais to help French authorities speed up the transfer of minors ahead of the dismantling of the Jungle.

Campaigners including Citizens UK, which said it has reunited 60 children from Calais with relatives in Britain since March, claim to have identified hundreds of children in the camp who have a right to come to the UK.