Bishop Auckland man taking donated goods to Ukrainian refugees

Refugee shelters have been set up in places like Medyka on the Poland and Ukraine border

An engineer is setting off on a 1,400 mile (2,250km) drive to take donated supplies to Ukrainian refugees.

Jack Vincent from Bishop Auckland will take items including clothing and medicines to camps in Poland.

Mr Vincent said he had received enough items to fill a shipping container since launching an appeal for donations on Sunday.

He has been supported by charities including the County Durham-based Chernobyl Children's Project.

According to the UN, more than 600,000 civilians have fled Ukraine to take refuge in neighbouring countries such as Poland, Romania and Hungary.

Mr Vincent is loading a van, trailer and roof-box and will be accompanied by a second driver on his trip close to the Poland-Ukraine border.

"The response from people has been unbelievable," he said. "I've got enough stuff to make four trips already.

"I want to acknowledge and thank the hundreds, if not thousands, of people who have made donations and supported the appeal."

More than 600,000 civilians have fled Ukraine, according to the UN

Mr Vincent has been liaising with local groups in Poland who said they had already been "inundated" with clothing and bottled water.

"What they really need is things like Calpol, child ibuprofen, bandages and plasters for the children who have had to walk miles as well things like antiseptics and face masks," Mr Vincent said.

He will also be taking donated nappies, wheelchairs, walking sticks and milk powder.

Mr Vincent said he had two motivations, to help the Ukrainian people fight Russian president Vladimir Putin's invasion and offer humanitarian aid.

He told the BBC: "My opinion is if Putin takes Ukraine he will not stop there.

"All we can do is show our love and compassion for our friends and neighbours in Ukraine and say to them we stand with you and will do what we can to help them in their fights against a deranged dictator."

Charity organiser Gerald Hirst said people's desire to help Ukraine shone like a beacon in dark times

Gerald Hirst runs the Crook branch of the Chernobyl Children's Project which supports families affected by the 1987 nuclear disaster in Ukraine (then part of the Soviet Union).

He said people had rallied to Mr Vincent's appeal: "The kindness and bravery of people like Jack shines through like beacons in these dark times in the Ukraine and the rest of Europe.

"They are giving their all to help people who desperately need our help."

Meanwhile, Durham County Council said it was "shocked and saddened" by events in Ukraine and the "most effective way" people could help was by making "cash donations" to the British Red Cross's Ukraine Crisis Appeal.

In Whitley Bay, Rosa Di Meo is accepting donations at her family's ice-cream parlour with items sought including painkillers, wound dressings.

She said goods donated on Tyneside will be sorted in Gateshead and "hopefully shipped off on Saturday".

Hogg Global Logistics in Hartlepool put a call out for donations on Monday and said people have been turning up in droves with everything from blankets to nappies and sanitary products.