THE wartime story of Hebden woman Hanneke Dye has been used to inspire school pupils.

Mrs Dye was invited to recount her tale to youngsters at Holybrook Primary School, in Greengates, Bradford.

She told them how, as a toddler, she escaped death by a whisker thanks to the bravery of a band of true heroes.

Born in Nazi-occupied Holland in February 1943 to Jewish parents, the young Anneke was kept safe thanks to an ingenious disguise and the bravery of her fellow countrymen and women.

Some 64 years on and now a grandmother-of-four, she is determined to tell her story to ensure the horrors of the Holocaust are "never, ever forgotten".

In a speech which captured the imagination of pupils, Mrs Dye spoke of her early years and the common ground she shared with another Dutch Jewish girl, Anne Frank.

She said: "I have just a little in common with Anne - my name is Hanneke, which is derived from Anne. I am also Dutch and I was also hidden."

Mrs Dye was born in secret in a small village near Breda, with help from a sympathetic midwife and doctor.

At just 10 days old she was transported in a vacuum cleaner box on the back of a bicycle to her Uncle Jaap's home.

"My uncle was married to a lady who was not Jewish, but even she was in danger," added Mrs Dye.

"My aunt and uncle were hiding Jewish family and friends upstairs for a while until it became too dangerous and other hiding places had to be found."

Uncle Jaap eventually found places for her parents - but they had to leave their newborn daughter behind.

On the day they left, Uncle Jaap's home was raided by the Germans. Asleep in her vacuum cleaner box in the attic, Hanneke was not found.

In a bid to save her life, faithful Uncle Jaap took her to a woman named Nurse Pop, who ran a nearby children's home.

Mrs Dye's dark locks were dyed blonde and she was kept safe from harm until Holland was liberated in 1945.

Sadly, her paternal grandparents and aunt died in the gas chambers at Auschwitz.

In 1992, Mrs Dye went to a conference in Amsterdam for hidden children and by chance met two other people who had also been at Nurse Pop's at the same time.

"One now lives in America, one in Holland and here I am in the UK," she added.

"I will never forget that it was the Americans and British that freed my country from oppression and gave us peace.

"Let us hope that one day there will be peace in all the countries of the world."

Holybrook headteacher, Dave Jones, said: "If we do not learn from history, we will make the same mistakes. As educators, it is important we put that vital message across."