Two coach-loads of refugees from war-torn Ukraine have arrived in Kent.

They have been met by people from across the country who are going to host them.

Ukrainian nationals welcome to Kent

All of the arrivals have been issued visas and have UK sponsors.

The coaches arrived in Hartley Country Club near Dartford at 11.20am, having travelled from Poland.

In total 91 refugees have been transported across Europe. They were greeted by a rapturous round of applause upon arrival and many were smiling and hugging as they disembarked the coach and met up with their hosts.

Inside the club, food and drinks were laid on and toys were placed on the table for the children who had made the near 1,000-mile trip from Warsaw.

Tracy Marshall, 38, travelled more than seven hours from Edinburgh, Scotland, to arrange to meet Ukrainian mum, Anna and her two daughters at the Kent rendezvous.

The mum-of-four said: "When the war first started and the government announced we could sponsor people I felt it was my duty to help.

"So obviously I joined a Facebook group, Homes to Ukraine and Anna the person I'm sponsoring found me through that."

The pair struck a chord over Facebook and have been communicating via messenger to arrange a pick-up point.

"We built such a solid relationship over the course of six weeks," explained Tracy. "She contacted me while she was still at home in the Donetsk region.

"She wasn't going to leave until she found a sponsor and by the time she left and started to make her way across this journey her home was destroyed."

Following the devastating news, Anna, who still has a 21-year-old son back home helping the war effort, remarked to Tracy: "How do you pack your life into a suitcase?"

The Ukrainian mum had been staying in bomb shelters with her daughters before reaching a hostel in Warsaw to make the onwards journey to the UK.

Host Tracy, who previously worked as a social worker, says she felt "compelled" to help and feels offering up her home for six to 12 months to give one hard-hit Ukrainian family a "bit of stability" so they can get back on their feet is the least she can do

Fellow Scot Fraser Dann and wife Jackie are also taking in a family under the scheme.

The couple travelled down from Uttoxeter in Staffordshire to pick up mum Tamara and her daughter Yeva who they too have been messaging on social media

Fraser, 67, said: "We just both felt we should try and do something, especially when you see the situation in Kyev."

He says the home and security checks were straightforward but actually arranging to bring the family to the UK has proven more problematic.

"One of the the things I have noticed on Facebook is lots are deciding at the last minute not to come," he said. "They are having to leave their home country, friends and family."

Fraser says many are fearful of travelling long distances and also want to seek reassurances as to who they are staying with, adding "they could have been anyone".

But after six weeks of back-and-forth conversations online he says the family he and his wife will host were reassured to make the journey.

"It is a mental trauma they have been through and we will do all we can to help them through that," Fraser added.

Some young Ukrainians have also been making the treacherous journey alone.

Annelise Shaw, 41, is a studio manager who with her husband is taking in Ukrainians with a talent for music.

The producer travelled to Dartford from Bedfordshire today with Ukrainian Izabella Ivaschenko who she met via an online music community to greet refugee Maria.

She said: "I want to ensure they can still play and pursue music while they are here."

The Coaches to Ukraine scheme is the brain child of Malcolm Palmer who has been working with other local volunteers and local businesses.

He said he had got involved as there did not seem to be any forward planning or any central organisations that are linking people together.

The chartered accountant, 55, said: "Like everybody else I saw the pictures of the refugees being forced to flee their country and I saw what other countries in Europe were doing to welcome them in.

"I think everybody knows about the visa situation and how difficult that has been.

"But I though it was almost entirely predictable that there was then going to be a transport problem."

The coaches were originally meant to travel to the UK two weeks ago but it was postponed after various issues.

Malcolm, who lives in nearby New Barn, added it was a "complicated" process with most of those travelling from Ukraine not able to speak much English.

"It might be easy for somebody in their 30s but it's not easy for somebody in their 80s," he explained. "It's not easy for someone with two toddlers and there are a lot of risks they are taking in leaving their homes."

Host families share their reasons for taking in Ukrainian refugees arriving in Kent today

The coordinator says they just wanted to "join up the dots" and offer them a safe passage.

Following today's successful trip he said he was "relieved" and hopes it can be the first recovery step for many.

"We are constantly challenging each other about the different things that could go wrong and the fact nothing has gone wrong is such a massive relief."