Cars and tractors packed with people have left refugee camps in neighbouring countries and moved towards the border with Kosovo.

Around 15,000 people are expected to return during Wednesday by the Morina border crossing point near the Albanian town of Kukes.

"They have been going in at the rate of 1,000 an hour since 7 a.m. (0500 GMT)," said Andrea Angeli, spokesman for the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

A queue of tractors, vans, buses and cars all crammed to breaking-point stretches back several kilometres back from the border crossing.

The UNHCR has been touring the camps, handing out leaflets spelling out the dangers of mines and booby-traps.

A BBC correspondent in Kukes says there is an atmosphere of great excitement in the camps and that as long as the border remains open the flow of returning refugees will become unstoppable.

Two killed

The warnings from the UN came after two refugees died and one was seriously injured when they strayed into a minefield as they tried to return from the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

''Don't come yet, it's not safe. That's our message,'' said Dennis McNamara of the UN refugee agency (UNHCR).

Refugees are moving out of the camps

Naim Mustafa, 32, returning to Kosovo after more than two months in Macedonia, said: "We've had enough. We know from people in Pristina that houses are still there. If our house isn't there, at least the land is."

Rageh Omaar reports: "The fear of death still remains, from mines and booby traps"

But Mr McNamara said some refugees had wandered into a minefield as they tried to bypass Nato military columns clogging the highway.

The UNHCR says it could be several weeks before Nato troops can clear the region of mines and booby traps.

'We won't stop them'

The head of the international peacekeeping force, General Sir Michael Jackson, also appealed for refugees not to risk their lives by crossing the borders before the mines were cleared.

The BBC's Liz McKean: They're going home and they can't hide their delight

But he said he would not try to stop them returning.

"We have made it very clear to the refugee communities, both in Albania and Macedonia, that please, please wait until you have a green light from the UNHCR, " he added.