Ukraine: Former British soldier Julian Thorn killed in car crash

Julian Thorn, who was known as Jay, was due to get married

A former British soldier has been killed in a car crash in Ukraine, his family has confirmed.

Julian Thorn had travelled to the war-torn country to help refugees and train Ukrainian fighters to use military equipment sent from the UK.

The 36-year-old had served with the Fusiliers and did tours of Afghanistan.

His fiancée Louise Lathbury was told of his death on 21 May, the day she made his wedding ring at a workshop near their home in Wark, Northumberland.

An appeal has begun to raise funds to bring his body home.

Ms Lathbury said her partner - who was known as Jay - volunteered to work in Ukraine as it was "something he felt strongly about and wanted to share the skills he had".

While there he had done humanitarian work helping refugees on the Ukraine-Poland border.

Ms Lathbury, originally from Berkshire, said her partner died "instantly" in the crash, which was confirmed by a colleague in Ukraine and the Foreign Office.

Mr Thorn and his fiancée Louise Lathbury were together for four years

Mr Thorn's family are hoping to raise £15,000 for the repatriation of his body.

"It would mean everything because we need to bring him back whole," Ms Lathbury said.

"He needs to come back and he needs to be him and so then we can do what's right for him when we get him home.

"I want him to have a nice send-off and be where he loved - he loved Hadrian's Wall and he loved Northumberland and I just want him to come back and be in the place he loved so much."

Mr Thorn regularly posted images from Ukraine to social media

Ms Lathbury, who was with Mr Thorn for four years, said his death had "left a void in my heart that can never be filled".

"To be honest I didn't believe it was real and I did ask, 'Are you sure it's him? Are you sure it's him?'," she said.

"But the other thing is we were talking about the wedding and everything and I'd made his wedding ring on that Sunday - and then you think, did I tempt fate by making it?

"You do, you think silly things like that when it happens.

"I was devastated - it was a surprise and I was going to give it to him when he got back."

The 36-year-old had served with the Fusiliers and did tours of Afghanistan

She said any money left over from the fundraising campaign would be donated to another family attempting to repatriate a loved one and to an animal charity.

"The thing with Jay is I don't think it was just the Ukraine situation - if he could help he wanted to help no matter what it was," she added.

"He loved animals - we've got rescue animals all over the place because he just wanted to help."

A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: "We are providing support to the family of a British man following his death in Ukraine, and are in touch with the local authorities."