Ukrainian boy building Lego again thanks to 'non-stop' donations

Andrey was forced to leave his collection behind in Ukraine

An 11-year-old Lego fanatic from Ukraine, whose family have taken refuge in Ireland, has been overwhelmed with Lego donations, according to his father.

Igor Sidorov and his son, Andrey, fled war-torn Kyiv but had to leave his collection behind.

Mr Sidorov made an online appeal for people to send him some Lego bricks, so Andrey could get building again.

Now, he says, toys have been flooding in at their hotel in Galway.

"A lot of people sent us lots of boxes, new Lego, used Lego - so my Andrey is already building toys with Lego again," Mr Sidorov told BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme.

"He's very happy. Seven days non-stop he's built Lego.

"New toys have been delivered... it's non-stop."

Ireland lifted restrictions on Ukrainians arriving in the country shortly after the invasion of Russia.

This allows them to enter Ireland without checks or visas beforehand, as well as getting access to benefits and healthcare, and the right to work.

Mr Sidorov had asked people if they could spare some Lego bricks.

"My eldest son is engaged in the creation and construction of various Lego toys on a semi-professional level without instruction," he posted on social media.

• Russians withdraw from Kyiv but focus shifts to east

• Ireland takes in 5,500 Ukrainian refugees

Andrey is now creating his Lego structures thanks to the generosity of people in Ireland

Andrey has more than 5,700 followers on Instagram and he has hundreds of subscribers to his YouTube channel.

Before the war, the child was posting videos of his creations from his home in Kyiv.

"He is really very happy when people call my hotel every day and ask non-stop about my boy and Lego," he said.

"[I] wish all Irish people happiness and good luck."

Since leaving his home in Ukraine, Mr Sidorov said he worries about the situation there all the time.

"I think about it every day... I worry about my family in Kyiv," he said.

"He [Andrey] asks me how the situation is in Ukraine, is it good or not, what the situation is in Kyiv.

"He worries about the situation in Ukraine. But he's a child so I try not to say too much."