Yorkshire Wildlife Park: Lions could move from Donetsk to Doncaster

It is hoped Teddi, Emi and Santa can move to the UK along with their mother, Aysa

A lioness rescued from a zoo in war-torn Ukraine could be rehomed in the UK with her cubs.

The female lion, named Aysa, was pregnant when she was abandoned at a private zoo in the Donetsk region at the start of Russia's invasion.

She was moved to another facility in Ukraine, where she gave birth to cubs Teddi, Emi and Santa.

Yorkshire Wildlife Park said it was working to get permission to move the lions to the UK before Christmas.

All four are currently at Poznan Zoo in Poland, where they have been temporarily rehomed.

Aysa was pregnant when she was rescued from a private Ukrainian zoo

The park said it wanted to be able to make a difference to the lions' lives

A spokesman for the wildlife park near Doncaster, South Yorkshire, said it wanted to give the lions "a better life and a brighter future".

Earlier this month, the park announced the death of the 14-year-old lion Simba due to ongoing age-related health issues.

Simba was among 13 lions saved from Oradea Zoo in Romania in February 2010, after they were found living in small concrete-floored cages.

Deputy Section Head of Carnivores, Colin Northcott, visited Poland to assess Aysa and family and to plan their move to Yorkshire.

The park said the lions were "fearful and distressed" but slowly began to trust Mr Northcott over the course of his visit.

It said: "Lion Country here at Yorkshire Wildlife Park was built as a welfare facility and now we're in a position where we can offer a home to these poor lions and hope that we can make a difference to their lives".

The park's last male lion, Simba, died earlier this year