Family offers second home in Woolacombe to Ukrainians

The McCready family said they wanted to do something to help

A family has offered their second home in Devon to two Ukrainian families.

Jane and John McCready, who live in London, have welcomed one family into their home in Woolacombe, with a second to be housed in the annex from Saturday.

The family of three, a grandmother, mother and daughter, fled their city of Kharkiv after the Russian invasion.

Mother Natalia Bykovchenko said they were "very grateful to be under a peaceful sky".

Ms Bykovchenko's mother Liubov and her nine-year-old daughter arrived at the McCready's second home on Friday.

Mrs McCready said: "It's not the poshest of places but it's warm and safe.

"We felt we wanted to do something."

The McCready family will welcome another family of five this week

She said the community of Woolacombe had been "absolutely incredible" in welcoming the family.

"They have opened the arms of friendship to the first family and no doubt will to the second," she added.

'Ukraine is in our heart'

Talking via a translator, Ms Bykovchenko told the BBC: "Thanks so much to the people from Devon and the people from Great Britain for the warm welcome.

"I just wanted a safe place, we are very grateful to be under a peaceful sky and not hear any of the shelling and bombing."

She continued: "Everything is absolutely fantastic and we are happy to be here and thank you so much to Jane McCready for allowing us to stay here in her house and we are settling well.

• How can I offer a UK home to Ukrainian refugees?

"They are very incredible, warm, nice people. They do their best to help us and already visited us a few times. We are amazed by the help from them.

"When the war ends we would love to go back to Ukraine. Ukraine is in our heart."