A Brabant couple who were forced to run for their lives when gunmen opened fire on the Tunisian beach they were holidaying on have been told they will be getting four young Syrian men as their neighbours in the village of Vlijmen.

The couple who survived the beach massacre in which 37 tourists died, are still traumatised by the event and told the Brabants Dagblad they cannot accept their Syrian neighbours, even if they have gone through similar events..

‘So it is not going to happen, whatever officials say, their father told the paper. ‘I have plenty of friends.’

Local mayor Jan Hamming says he understands the family’s position and that they had not been aware of it when the refugees were assigned. He now plans to talk to the family and see if perhaps a Syrian family can be located there instead.

According to the paper, the building has since been daubed with anti-refugee graffiti.