Bristol fire engines and kit delivered to Ukraine

Eight volunteers drove the vehicles thousands of miles from Bristol to Odesa

A fire and rescue service has delivered two fire engines along with lifesaving equipment directly to Ukraine.

Eight volunteers from Avon Fire and Rescue drove the vehicles thousands of miles from Bristol to Odesa, in Ukraine's south west.

Odesa is the country's third largest city and is a crucial port - meaning it has frequently been targeted by Russian missiles and drones.

"Unfortunately, during the war the Russians have targeted emergency vehicles, so they're desperately in need of equipment and training," said Councillor Paul Goggin, chair of the fire authority and a member of the team who delivered the vehicles.

"Most of the firefighters now are volunteers and they generally tend to be gentlemen in their 50s because the younger lads are away fighting at the front," he added.

The fire engines are at the end of their service life in the UK but are still capable of performing their purpose.

They have both been added with extra kit - including hydraulic rescue gear, cutters and personal protective equipment.

Many cities in Ukraine remain under frequent attack despite recent peace efforts.

Mr Goggin said that choosing to help Odessa made sense given its multiple similarities with the city of Bristol.

"It's a port like us, it's a Unesco city like us and I've found out that everyone in Ukraine, other than Odesa, think it's a bit strange and I think that's probably the same in Bristol - the rest of the UK think we do things differently," he said.

Mr Goggin also said that the aid will come at no expense to the taxpayer - as Ukrainian organisations have fundraised for the delivery costs and the council would otherwise have to pay for the vehicles disposal if they could not be repurposed.