A desperate builder has spoken of his devastation after rescuing his wife and children from Ukraine but being banned from getting them into the UK.
Vitalie Turetska has been living and working in north London for the past three years.
When Russia started bombing his home country he jumped in his car and drove to the Ukraine/Romania border to get wife and Helena and sons Danya, six and two-year-old Mapk.
They are just some of the 1.5 million refugees who have already fled the terror in their home country.
But now they are stranded in Calais after British authorities refused to let them cross the Channel.
Vitalie said he was told he was allowed to return but he would have to leave his wife and kids behind in France.
Follow all today's latest updates on the conflict with our live blog here
He said: “I’ve been told they don’t have the correct paperwork so they can’t come in.
“I just can’t believe it.
“After all they’ve been through and they stop us at Calais.
“We’ve been told we’ve got to Paris to get some documents later in the week.
“This is unbelievable.”
Hundreds of Ukrainian families are now in Calais.
Many of them have driven all the way from their homes in Kyiv.
The extraordinary exodus has seen many countries welcome hundreds of thousands in.
But Britain is not one of them and has been fiercely criticised for its slow response and lack of efforts to help - accepting just 50 Ukrainian refugees thus far, compared to 1,800 in Ireland.
The Mirror has not seen a British official in Calais to help the terrified families.
Vitalie has been working as a builder in Wembley, north London since 2019.
He sent money back to his wife and family in Ukraine and made regular trips back to see them.
When the bombs started dropping they decided the family must leave immediately.
Helena and the children managed to get across the border to safety in Romania and Vitalie set off to get them.
“It took me four days to get there,” he said.
“There was a lot of traffic.
“It was very slow but I managed to reach them and drive back here to Calais.
“I’m so glad we are together again as a family.
“But it’s shocking we can’t get across the Channel.”
The family is now sleeping in a community centre yards from the port in Calais.
They have been joined by hundreds of other Ukraine families.
A sign by the reception states: “No visas delivered in Calais.”.
It tells families they must go to Paris or Brussels.
Another family is also stranded in Calais unable to reach a cousin in London.
Ismatull and Muhabat Radhabov and their six month old daughter Ayesha cannot leave.
A successful restaurant owner in the capital Kyiv Ismatull said: “We managed to escape but we just want to get to England but we don’t have the right documents.
“My cousin lives in London so we have somewhere to head for but at the moment we are not being allowed to get there.
“I really hope it gets sorted soon.”
Another man, who asked not to be identified, said: “Everyone appreciates the support of the west so far.
“But this is just the start.
“We really want to get to England.
“We can stay with friends so we wouldn’t be a burden on society.”
The Centre Europeen De Sejour is now home to 150 Ukrainians many of them women and children.
The children played pool and table football in the lobby.
Some looked happy and cheerful at making new friends.
Their parents gave us permission to take their photos.
But one or two sat in a corner clearly traumatised by the tragic events of the past ten days.
At the back is a large room full of essential items like sanitary products, nappies, clothes and food are all available.
At the front they can stand and watch the cross channel ferries as they head to Dover.
