A campaign spearheaded by a local councillor to bring in donations for people fleeing the conflict between Ukraine and Russia has been so successful firefighters have had to step in to help load supplies.
Coun Kathryn Rooney, who represents the Consett North ward, felt she had to do something to help as heartbreaking images from the war-torn country were shown on the news.
She had expected to fill a van with donations - but such is the generosity of local people and businesses, there are now several lorry-loads full and waiting to be shipped off.
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Kathryn said: "I decided to help last week when I was watching the news and seeing the plight of those poor people in Ukraine, that I would get a few things together and send a van over - and it's snowballed from there.
"We've got 84 pallets at Elddis waiting to be packed off. I put a post on Facebook and within a couple of hours I had people offering to collect from shops and schools all across the North East.
"I have also set up an Amazon wish list and a guy got in touch from America to say he'd spent £300 on it.
"I've had loads of offers of help and we've got 60 or 70 volunteers coming different days as and when they can."
The response has been so amazing that the main thing the team are running short of is cardboard boxes to pack all of the goods in.
Kathryn is now fundraising in a bid to try and get the money together to send over a lorry - which currently costs more than £2,000.
There have also been delays at customs due to paperwork.
Kathryn continued: "I think the situation is only going to get worse before it gets better.
"The response has been absolutely unbelievable - on Monday, the Church Hall at St Mary's was absolutely chocker.
"It's unbelievable but that's Consett - everybody pulls together in Consett."
The first truck is going to Elk, in Poland, which is the home town of Joanne Soulsby, a Polish woman who owns Moon jewellery shop, which started in Shotley Bridge before it moved to bigger premises in to Durham.
Joanne said she wanted to raise awareness of the situation in her native country.
She said: "I thought we would be sending a van over but we're now collecting for a fourth lorry. Kathryn is an angel.
"We all watch the UK TV but I wanted to say what's actually happening in Poland and how people are feeling about this - they're overwhelmed.
"Support wasn't there for the refugees, and Poland as we know isn't a very rich country but people have clothed them and fed them.
"But now, they are really struggling to provide consumable items. The least we can do is help.
"The first lorry is going to my home town - we have taken a lot of orphans and it's heartbreaking, absolutely heartbreaking. We are hearing of some Ukrainian women who get their children to safety and then go back to fight.
"We're trying to do our best to try and give them a happy start in a new country with a new language."
To donate to Kathryn's fundraiser, go here.
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