Story bus created by Wiltshire aid group for children in Ukraine

To create the play bus, all the seats were removed and the interior painted

A bus has been converted into a story bus for children living in war-torn Ukraine.

Bus number 910, which had been travelling the roads of Essex, was donated to the Swindon Humanitarian Aid Partnership (SHAP) by Go-East Anglia.

To create the play bus, all the seats were removed and the interior painted with a forest scene, stars and birds.

Mike Bowden, from SHAP, said he hoped it would allow Ukrainian children to play "as children should be able to".

The 910 bus took commuters into Basildon and Brentwood, on the outskirts of London, before it was donated to SHAP.

Along with Ukrainian figures in national costume, the inside of the bus has been decorated with Ukrainian bunting and the Ukrainian alphabet

Local artist, Billy Beaumont, said he was asked to create an "enchanted forest" running the length of the bus.

"The ceiling incorporates planets and stars and goes from night to day, with lots of colourful birds flying around," he said.

Along with Ukrainian figures in national costume, the inside of the bus has been decorated with Ukrainian bunting and the Ukrainian alphabet.

"I managed to get some Ukrainian children to come in and do the letters," said Mr Beaumont.

"It would have taken me three hours - not knowing the alphabet at all - and it took them about 10 minutes."

The ceiling of the bus includes planets, stars, flying birds and bats

SHAP was formed by Ukrainian, Polish, Lithuanian and British people living in Wiltshire to help people still in Ukraine and those seeking refuge in the UK after Russia invaded.

Mr Bowden, SHAP chairman, said children in Ukraine had "witnessed and experienced things that are unimaginable".

"Although we know we cannot conceivably remove their trauma, we can allow them to enjoy the colour and fun of the story bus," he said.

"And allow them to play and laugh as children should be able to do."

The 910 bus was running commuters into Basildon and Brentwood before it was donated to SHAP

Gavin Smith, from bus operator Go-East Anglia, said the 910 bus had done "sterling service" for many years and he was "proud to have found it a new home for its final years".

Jordan Craig, Go-East Anglia's assistant operations manager, said he "didn't realise there's so much space in a single-decker bus".

"It's an amazing space - where kids can just enjoy themselves and be kids," he said.

"But it does appear I have been volunteered to take it on a final journey to Calais, and hand it over to the team who will take it on to western Ukraine."