TWO students struck by the horrors of the Auschwitz death camp have set up a campaign for a permanent memorial in their own community to Holocaust victims.

Rachel Lonie and Natalia Wojda from Grove Academy, Broughty Ferry, Dundee, will unveil the plaque on Tuesday at a ceremony with civic leaders to coincide with Holocaust Memorial Day.

The sixth year pupils, who are both 17, raised a three-figure sum for the memorial after a trip to the camp.

Miss Lonie said: "In September we travelled as part of the Lessons from Auschwitz programme to the death camp in Poland.

"We could not fathom the horrific acts that had taken place there.

"From then we wanted to do our part in conveying the contemporary relevance of the Holocaust within our school and community.

"The service at the end of the day on our visit to the camp is perhaps what has affected us the most.

"The Rabbi Barry Marcus said that when people ask him, 'Where was God during the Holocaust?' he answers with a question of his own: 'Where was man?'

"Recent events taking place in the world has shown the vast distance within mankind and that little progress has been made in 70 years."

The students took the idea of creating a memorial to victims of the Holocaust and genocide to Dundee City Council.

Council leader Ken Guild got behind the campaign and Windmill Gardens in Broughty Ferry was chosen as the location.

Once permission was granted they organised multiple bake sales and a raffle at the school which raised the money required.

Tuesday's event will also be one of 70 places in the UK where a special candle will be lit to mark 70 years since the liberation of Auschwitz.

Miss Wojda said: "We are currently planning assemblies and activities within our school focussing on the contemporary relevance of the Holocaust.

"We want people to understand that each and every one of us is able to break the barrier of fear towards the unknown and act upon all odds."

The plaque also features a quote from Anne Frank, the Jewish schoolgirl who became a wartime chronicler, which reads: "How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world."

Mr Guild said: "It is truly honourable that these students have taken it upon themselves to create this lasting memorial."