Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Record
Daily Record
Entertainment
Kirsten McStay

Scots landscapers on Ukraine rescue mission vow to remain 'until money runs out'

Two Scots landscapers who are helping Ukrainian people to flee the Russian invasion have vowed to stay in the country until their "money runs out".

Joseph McCarthy, 55, from Falkirk, and his colleague Gary Taylor, 45, from Bonnyrigg, headed to the war-torn country last week in their work van to provide assistance to those in need.

Appearing on ITV's This Morning earlier today, the pair spoke about their terrifying ordeal when they were held up by Russian troops at gunpoint.

But the pals denied being "heroes" telling Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield that they were just doing what anyone else would.

Viewers heard how they decided to purchase a new work vehicle before packing it up and travelling to Ukraine after typing it into Google Maps.

Joe and Gary joined Holly and Phil today via video link to talk about their journey so far and everything they've had to face, including having to buy a new car and going a different route.

Gary told Holly: "It was easy enough to get here but we were having trouble at the borders so we nipped into Romania and hired a people carrier."

Holly then went on to ask them about the frightening encounter they had with a Russian convoy and the pair revealed that they shot the tyres of their vehicle, stripped their van and took one of their phones.

They had been heading for the north-eastern city of Sumy, which has been under heavy shelling from Russian forces.

They said: "They held us at the side of the van, with gun to our heads and ripped the van apart. We met a police man who wrote us a nice letter which is helping us get about."

The pair said they've encountered some problems including facing Russian soldiers (ITV)

The men have a Tik Tok account which they have been using to document their "missions" in Ukraine, and they said they will remain there until their money runs out.

Joe admitted he's been using £10,000 of his own money but donations from TikTok have helped to raise £27,000.

A GoFundMe page launched to help cover Joe and Gary's costs of travelling to Ukraine and providing locals with supplies has raised over £17,000 to date.

Phillip Schofield went on to tell the pair that ITV had made a donation to their page.

Gary and Joe said that one of the mothers out there even asked them if they would be godparents to her child.

Gary then added that his own mother is "petrified" for him but his kids are extremely proud.

The inspiring duo have been sharing their journey via livestreams on social network TikTok under their business handle of @ready2rocklandscaping.

Phil and Holly praised the duo (ITV)

British nationals have been told not to travel to Ukraine in the latest Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advice.

Any Brits still in the country are advised to register with the British Embassy, which has relocated from Kyiv to Lviv amid intense fighting in the Ukrainian capital.

You can donate to the GoFundMe page.

Get the latest celebrity gossip and telly news sent straight to your inbox. Sign up to our weekly Showbiz newsletter here.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.