Ukraine: Nottinghamshire woman fears for family struggling to get food

Nataly Stevens said her family normally answered her Skype calls straight away

A musician says she is worried after being unable to contact her family in a Ukrainian city seized by Russian forces.

Nataly Stevens, from Burton Joyce, Nottinghamshire, said her mother and brother normally answered her Skype calls straight away.

They have been sheltering in their apartment in Kherson since the start of the invasion.

Ms Stevens said it was first time they had lost touch since the war began.

Igor Kolykhaev, mayor of the southern Ukrainian city, said on Wednesday Russian troops had forced their way into the city council building and imposed a curfew on residents.

Ms Stevens said her brother has been struggling to find food

Ms Stevens said she had been speaking to her family on a daily basis but had been unable to get hold of them by Skype or phone on Friday.

"I usually get through straight away, and when you can't you start to worry," she said.

"Russian forces are outside of the town, blocking all the ways out.

"They [her family] are trying to keep as optimistic as they can but I can see it takes its toll on my mother now."

Her mother is 84 and has past experience of major conflict.

Ms Stevens said: "She remembers the Second World War - she was a little girl then.

"My mother is very frail now and since last year she has not been out the house."

She said they had told her it was difficult to buy food with most shops closed or empty.

When one shop opened, a large queue formed outside but the shelves inside were mostly empty.

The bandstand in Hinckley will be lit blue and yellow and the Ukrainian flag will be flown

With the invasion now into its ninth day, a candlelit vigil is due to be held in Hinckley, Leicestershire, later in solidarity with the Ukrainian people.

People have been invited to bring a candle to light as Argents Mead Bandstand is lit blue and yellow at 18:30 GMT.

Stuart Bray, leader of Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council said: "I hope this vigil will give us all a chance to come together as a community and focus our attention on those people many miles away who are in trouble and pain."