A photographer who fears for the safety of her Kurdish family in Turkey has set up a studio in Croydon to help buy their passage to safety, writes Sean Morrison.

Evrim Ozarslan, who opened Photo Craft in High Street at the start of the summer, said her 12-year-old niece fears Islamic State will “cut her throat”, after watching the news from her home in Tuzla, a suburb in Istanbul.

Speaking of her brother, 45-year-old Hasan Ozarslan, and his children, Nerivan, 18, and Idi, 12, she said: “I want to make something here to help my family in Istanbul.

“I am working hard to offer them the opportunity to come here, if they need to, without having them need to take money from the British Government.

“My family are not relaxed. It affects their traditional cycle of life. But they do not want to leave their homes, family, and jobs.”

Turkey’s Kurdish minority has long been persecuted by the country’s government, with Kurdish militants also responding with violence in some cases.

Tensions have increased in recent times due to fighting with Islamic extremists in neighbouring Syria.

Ms Ozarslan, 36, of Park Lane, opened Photo Craft with her partner, Arijris Mavrakis, 32, in the town, saying she was confident it was the right place to set up shop and support her family.

She added: “Croydon isn’t stupidly expensive, compared to central London. It has great potential, is full of vibrant people has and huge development plans.”