A Worcester charity has sent care packages to Ukrainian children receiving cancer treatment in Bristol.

A number of poorly children and their families were flown to Birmingham Airport from Poland earlier this week before being transported to the most appropriate NHS hospitals for treatment.

But many have arrived in the UK with very little - and that’s where the Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust has stepped in to help.

The charity, founded in memory of four-year-old Grace Kelly after her death in 2014, has sent packages to families in Bristol and is working on a way to give them financial support, too.

“We heard a few days ago that Ukrainian oncology families were coming to the UK with very unwell children,” said Jen Kelly, Grace’s mum and the founder of the charity.

“There was an incredible effort from staff at Birmingham Children‘s Hospital and Southampton to fly them over safely. Absolutely amazing.

“They have had an initial flurry of support from people seeing the story on the news, which is wonderful, but they foresee that they will need more support as more families continue to arrive over the coming weeks.

'Families have arrived with incredibly little'

“These children are very poorly and are likely to remain as inpatients for a significant length of time.”

But, she said, the situation in Bristol has been a little different.

“We were contacted by the team there directly as unfortunately, their families have arrived with incredibly little,” said Dr Kelly.

“For most, they have a simple day sack and have been given a mobile phone with a small amount of credit on. They have little else.

READ MORE Caring little girl's compassion still inspires Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust five years on

West Midlands Ambulance Service staff help Ukrainian children with cancer

“The team at the Trust has already packed and sent our first delivery of support packs and resources to Bristol and we are setting up a process whereby the families are receiving financial support from us as well.

“We have also sent a tablet device for each family to use to help provide a means to provide comfort to these unwell children as they have arrived with very little.

“Rather than things, what the families need most of all is basic funds to enable them to purchase the specifics they need including topping up their basic phones that they have been given to keep in touch with loved ones.”