Ukraine aid trip 'pleasing' despite air raid scare

Southwold's John Nickell-Lean (centre, left) and his team have returned safely from Ukraine

A humanitarian worker said delivering two tonnes of medical aid to Ukrainian soldiers felt "profoundly pleasing", despite having to take cover in an air raid shelter.

John Nickell-Lean, from Southwold, headed to the war-torn European country last month along with a team of "ordinary people from Suffolk".

They completed the journey in a fleet of four former NHS ambulances, which could only be driven at 50mph (80kph), after raising almost £43,000.

After travelling 1,200 miles (1,900km), Mr Nickell-Lean and his team handed over the medical equipment and vehicles in the centre of Lviv.

Firefighters work at the site of a museum that was destroyed by a Russian drone strike in Lviv

The ambulances and medical equipment were handed over to Ukrainian soldiers in Lviv

"It was a surreal moment and absolutely extraordinary really, and I think it is profoundly pleasing that we have done this," the 72-year-old said.

"All of us who took part are wholeheartedly behind what Ukraine are trying to do, to resist the Russian invasion, because if Russia is not stopped, it will not stop.

"The war Ukraine is fighting is a war on behalf of the West and what is at stake is incredibly serious."

Following the drop-off, Mr Nickell-Lean and his fellow volunteers were transported back to the border by UN accredited drivers in two blacked-out Mercedes.

After a lengthy four-hour wait while their documents were processed, the team eventually returned to the safety of home soil.

But despite the success of the trip, it was not without its nerve-jangling moments.

John Nickell-Lean (centre) arranged for four ambulances filled with medical essentials to be transported to Ukraine

"There were quite long days and some of the hotels were simply awful, but one night we got back to the hotel and all of us crashed out. Then, at 2.30am, off goes the air raid warning," he said.

"I had to go round the hotel, get everybody up and then get them down to the air raid shelter.

"We sat there for the next three hours twiddling our thumbs and actually, there was a lot of leg-pulling.

"It would be very less amusing if this happened day, after day, after day - that must be incredibly wearing."

Due to the ongoing conflict, UK residents have been advised by the government against visiting any parts of Ukraine.