They came in the thousands with the few possessions they could carry.

Men, women and children cross over the Syrian border, leaving their homes to escape Islamic State militants as they advance north.

IS is within kilometres of the border town of Kobani and they fear an imminent attack.

Turkey opened its border on Friday and in 24 hours around 66,000 refugees - mainly Syrian Kurds - crossed over.

(SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER NUMAN KURTULMUS, SAYING:

"Around 1300 (1000gmt) noon time, we opened the crossing and 4,500 people entered into Turkey. In this border region of 30 kilometres between [Turkish towns] Akcakale and Mursitpinar, which is on the other side of Kobani [Syrian town Ayn al-Arab] 45 thousand people crossed the border."

This Turkish soldier holds a refugee toddler. She is one of the many lost in the crowds, as desperate Kurds flee IS fighters, who have seized dozens of villages close to the border, burning homes and