A West Devon charity which sends medical aid and four-wheel drive vehicles to the front line of Ukraine’s war with Russia is meeting huge demand in the war-torn country.

Nightingales UK is a small group of medics and other professionals from Milton Combe that provides medical aid to Ukraine.

Rupert Jones, a former GP, started the charity last year to provide battlefield response vehicles used for taking paramedics to provide urgent treatment to badly injured troops in the trenches.

He said they have sent seven four-by-four cars and two vanloads of medical aid, while one more van leaves this week and two cars will follow later in the autumn. The vehicles are needed to distribute medical aid; one jeep has been sent recently to the almost entirely destroyed town of Orekhovo.

Rupert said: “Nightingales only started 12 months ago. We focus on sending four-wheel-drive vehicles packed with medical aid for the front line. They are used for casualty evacuation. There is a huge need for these vehicles because they are the most effective way to save lives of injured civilians and soldiers. Sadly, the Russians target these cars, so replacement are in huge demand.

“We also have a large van to supply medical aid we take our colleagues in Prague. There the badly-needed aid is sorted and sent to hospitals.”

He thanked supporters such as Uphill Farm wedding venue at Yelverton which donated a Feast Night for Nightingales when 110 diners were entertained by singer Jess Leigh to raise £5,500.