Bradford pensioner Karl Dallas has set up camp in a Baghdad oil refinery in an effort to protect the Iraqi infrastructure from attack.

The 72-year-old, of Manningham, is living in an unused container which has been converted into accommodation for 20 of the human shields, including three other Britons.

Speaking exclusively to the Telegraph & Argus, Mr Dallas said conditions at the Doura refinery on the outskirts of Baghdad were "rather luxurious".

And he warned of the possible consequences of an air strike on the site, which he said people were expecting as early as tomorrow.

"Lots of civilians will be killed if the refinery goes up," said Mr Dallas, who volunteered to go to the refinery to show how important the oil supplies were to keeping the country's schools and hospitals working.

He said more than 100 human shields remain in Iraq - despite reports many were returning home.

But he did admit some had given up because of other commitments and the poor conditions.

"We need hundreds of thousands of people in the streets of Baghdad," said Mr Dallas, urging others to fly out to join the group. "We shall overcome this."

Uzma Bashir, another Bradford member of the human shield, said she was in high spirits and welcoming new recruits to Iraq from around the world.

The lecturer, who owns a nursery in Bradford and appeared on reality show Survivor!, said hundreds of people were determined to stick it out in the coming weeks and that she had been overwhelmed by the generosity and warmth of the Iraqi people. "We are on a real high," she said. "There is a great atmosphere here and we are going round all the sites.

"There are so many people from all different nationalities here. Every day I bump into Christians, Buddhists and people from every corner of the globe who are determined to show their defiance of the war.

"What amazes me is the tolerance, intelligence and warmth of the Iraqi people. I am glad I am seeing it first-hand."

She also denied that human shields were fleeing the country as the likelihood of war increased. "That's not true," she said. "Some people have had to go back for a number of reasons but every day we are welcoming more people. I am just honoured to be here."