Volunteers are going the extra mile to raise funds and deliver vital medical and sanitary supplies to stricken Ukraine.

Dartford Lions Club members and volunteers drove a horse box loaded with donations hundreds of miles into central Europe over the weekend.

The charity had recently donated a van load of new clothes to be supplied through the British Red Cross.

But after hearing of more indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas and strikes on hospitals, Lions volunteers reached out to partner organisations across the continent to see what more they could do.

Members were told civilians under siege were in desperate need of medical supplies and sanitary products.

Lions president Rags Sandhu said: "About four years ago as a local Lions club we started to support Belarus, sending clothes over to an orphanage and generally because the economy is not great."

The club mostly supports local campaigns but also regularly donated around 600 of items of clothes to the Eastern European country before the pandemic.

"Now with Ukraine we got in touch with the club there and asked how could we help," added Rags.

"They came back within minutes to say 'yes we could do with clothes, food and medical supplies'."

After rounding up donations from Dartford residents and the Booker Wholesale in Crayford, a group of young volunteers then plotted out a route to transport it.

Lions member Ellenor Palmer attached her horse box stocked with goods to a crew cab van before making the near 200 mile journey from Wilmington to Assenede on the Belgian/Dutch border.

The cargo was then passed to fellow Lions member Andy de Schipper to transport the rest of the way to Krakow, Poland, where tens of thousands of refugees find themselves at a crossroads.

Volunteers were then invited by mayor Philippe De Coninck to attend a candle-lit vigil in a show of solidarity with the Ukrainian people.

Club president Rags said they had been "overwhelmed" by the offer of support from Dartford residents and local businesses.

He added: "It gives you a sense of purpose and now having spoke to Ellenor it gives you a sense of satisfaction.

"We are just a local branch of an international charity. None of us are paid, we are all just volunteers."

The charity is planning further fundraising efforts and whilst they have been told clothing is not in high demand they are "crying out for medical supplies".

Meanwhile, in Gravesend a businessman is preparing to bring back his Indian street food stall to raise money to help Ukraine.

Andy Singh will reopen the popular pop-up inside Thamesgate shopping centre on Sunday from 10am for one day only.

The Northfleet-based community volunteer previously ran a stall in the market to raise funds for the London Fire Brigade service in the wake of the Grenfell fire disaster.

He will be serving up samosas, mixed vegetable rice and chickpea curries, with all funds going towards the aid efforts.

Andy says he was intending to donate directly towards the aid efforts but wanted to do something to bring the community together.

He said: "This event I'm going to do is for everyone and it will go through the right channels.

The local landlord said the event will be "colourful" and he plans to erect huge Ukranian flags on the side of his stall.

Andy added: "The main thing is the community will feel proud when they come out there and support and do something towards it.

"People should come and, if they can, open their heart and donate."

Dartford Lions is accepting donations via dartfordlionsclub.org