"I cried a lot, they cried a lot; I've never wanted to hug two people so much in my entire life. Their experiences in the past three weeks are truly heartbreaking."

A Shotley mum has spoke of her emotions, anger and frustration at bringing over a Ukrainian mother and daughter and their dog, fleeing their war torn country.

Emma Adams and her 13-year-old daughter Issy are set to welcome 19-year-old student Valeria her mother Liudmyla and Bichon Frise Mila, from Cherihiv in Ukraine.

The family are set to arrive by early April and Emma explained why she felt compelled to help.

"I was moved to tears by what I was seeing on the news and just knew I had to help." said Emma." I live alone with my 13-year old daughter and have a spare room. I don't have a huge amount of money to donate but knew I could help in other ways; by offering our room.

"I know that if it was me and Issy fleeing for our lives I'd hope a family would take us in and offer us safety.

"I also felt that I can can help two people be safe, then that's two less people that will be taken advantage of by people exploiting the scheme."

After searching online Emma found a group on Facebook and spent many hours talking to families and hearing their heartbreaking.

Eventually, after posting what they could offer at their home in Shotley Gate, and after many conversations they found their family.

However, Emma is angry and frustrated at the delays and bureaucracy surrounding the process of getting her family to the UK.

She is also appalled that from a group with 35,000 members only a handful have had approval to come over, which Emma describes as 'outrageous'.

She said: "We have FaceTimed our family who are praying for the government approval which is being processed at a snail's pace. (Now on day nine).

"I cried a lot, they cried a lot; I've never wanted to hug two people so much in my entire life. Their experiences in the last three weeks are truly heartbreaking.

"I'm appalled that our government are taking so long to process the applications of these innocent people who are living on floors of a school halls/ trains in subways and worse.

"I'm ashamed that our government are not doing more to make their journey easier.

"The application process is excessively long. There are no updates after the initial email saying it's been received, there is no way to see what timescales they are working too either.

"Families are literally sitting in limbo waiting to hear. They are frightened to move from where they are until they know for sure they will be accepted.

"I can't imagine having to give up my entire life, to lose members of my family and my friends and travel across country with nothing but a back pack of the things I treasure most, not knowing how the hell I can get out.

"I feel numb with sadness for them. I can't even comprehend the emotions they are going through."

Emma plans to travel to Calais later this week to meet Valeria, her mother Liudmyla and dog Mila who will have travelled more than 1,670 miles by train from Cherkasy in Ukraine to Moldova then onto Romania, through Hungary, Austria, Germany and into France to Calais. They took that route so that they can travel with their dogs.

Babergh has already been contacted to carry to the statutory checks and have agreed to treat it as a priority and Emma has had further help from her district councillor.

While the government has been cumbersome at best, Emma admits being blown away by the help and support so many other people have given to her and others in a similar situation.

"During this process we met an angel of a woman Tina," she said. "Tina is amazingly going to fly to Romania to meet our family as well as her own and travel by train with them.

"She has been an absolute godsend; offering her help to sort the quarantine out for Mila and to agree to help bring them over with her."

Her Go Fund me page has raised £1,200 so far and Emma has received dozens of tangible offers to help her family when they arrive.

Valeria was a third year student studying architect at university while Liudmyla has an economic education.

"The donations on the go fund me page has absolutely blown me away," said Emma. "People have been so generous and we have enough to help get them started when they are here before we can sort Valerias a uni placement and help her mother find work."

Ipswich Buses have offered them a free month's bus pass, there have been donation from the Shotley Rose pub, and The Bristol Arms, Fleximize as well as friends and family.

Judd's Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning have offered to clean the carpet in the family's room for free, while Emma has been contacted by Helen from All Saints Kesgrave who has a friend who is happy to help teach Liudmyla English.

Katie Byford and Karen Smith are organising a a coffee and cake fund raiser at Shotley Sailing Club, on Saturday April 16.

Emma's Go Fund me page

Emma has also set up a