A couple who live near Reading are set to host a Ukrainian refugee and her two-year-old son as part of the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.

Two of Caroline Egan’s three children have left home, so she and her husband Graeme offered their spare rooms to a family fleeing Putin’s invasion.

The boy’s father remains in Ukraine after men of conscription age, 18 to 60, were banned from leaving the country on February 24, but he hopes to join his family as soon as he is allowed.

“These people need our help and I don’t think we can afford to turn a blind eye,” said Mrs Egan, 53.

“It’s going to be a major adaption for us but my husband and I took the view that we’ll manage, we’ll do it.

“There’s lots of reasons why you could decide not to do it but actually there’s extremely good reasons why you should.”

#ThereWithUkraine: Our Ukraine appeal reaches £10,000 - how you can help

Attacks on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv are continuing through the night, citizens of Chernihiv have been left starving and drinking sewage water, and those in Mariupol are being forcefully deported across the Russian border, according to Ukrainian MP Lesia Vasylenko speaking to Times Radio.

The Egan’s are currently awaiting approval of the refugee family’s visa application.

Read more: ‘Relief’ as 12-year-old refugee who had visa application terminated moves to Reading

“We’re trying to get things ready in the house because all my children are grown up so we haven’t had a two-year-old in the house for many years,” said Mrs Egan.

“We’re very excited to be helping and supporting them and we’re very looking forward to meeting them and welcoming them to Pangbourne and the UK.”

“There are other families in Pangbourne who are doing the same and we hope to bring together families who have come over from you Ukraine in the community.”

She said that any donations for the boy, such as toys, would be greatly appreciated and that she was searching for any employers who could offer his mother, 37, who is trained in marketing, a job.