THE plight of Afghan refugees in Pakistan has been captured by a Hereford photographer.

Pictures of malnourished children in Peshawar are some of the startling images shot by Laurence Squire in the refugee camps of Northern Pakistan.

The 30-year-old spent a week living just 16 miles from the southern Afghan border and said he had seen a wave of homeless people attempt to cross the closed border.

Mr Squire, who works for Hereford-based company Eat Images, fears the northern region of Pakistan, already swelled by two million Afghans, will be unable to cope with the problems it now faces.

"Although the crossing is officially closed, people are finding their way across, it's putting a strain on hospital facilities," he said. "People have been fleeing from the Taliban for years. There are already several makeshift villages in this desolate area."

After visiting areas such as the Khyber Pass, he confirmed there was little sanitation and authorities would have to drill a mile down to find any new water reserves.

"I've seen a lot of people who are close to starving out here," said the former jockey.

"I saw a father and malnourished son who travelled for two weeks to get to a hospital - it was a poignant image I managed to capture on film."

Although lack of food is one problem, he fears opium addiction and rioting are other major concerns.

"The majority of Afghans already living in Pakistan are pro bin Laden, despite previously fleeing the Taliban. Many people feel it's simply a war against Islam. They want to see proof bin Laden is to blame," he said.

Despite the problems, he feels the war against terrorism and increasing humanitarian aid is the best alternative Afghanistan has in achieving any sense of stable infrastructure for the future.

Having arrived back in Britain last Friday, photographs by Mr Squire, which have been distributed to charities, can now be seen on his company's website at www.eatimages.com