Ukrainian orphans reach safety thanks to Bristol donations

The children and their carers made it to safety after a two-day journey

A group of Ukrainian children fleeing bombing near the Russian border have reached the relative safety of western Ukraine.

Nearly 100 children and their care workers were helped to make the arduous journey by a Bristol charity which organised transport, fuel and food.

Their care workers sent a message on Saturday to say they had reached safety after a 48-hour journey.

The group also helped another party of women and children along the way.

The message, sent to the BBC, said: "We reached western Ukraine near Mukachevo yesterday evening (12 March). The trip was very difficult.

"On the way we met a bus that broke down with women and small children. We decided to pick them up, we had to squeeze in a lot. There were even premature babies."

People in Bristol who were moved by TV news pictures of the children trying to escape their care home in Suma raised money to reach them through the Epaphras Trust.

The charity helps orphans all round the world and used contacts already working in Ukraine to send direct aid to the children.

Russian shelling and air strikes have forced many civilians to flee west

"We organised accommodation for them, transport for them, food and fuel for the buses," said Ken Hart, Epaphras Trust Chairman.

Mr Hart's contact in Ukraine, Vadim, said the aid from people in Bristol had been essential.

"They gathered money and helped to put fuel in their buses and the buses took these children to a place of safety," he said.