NEWTON Abbot stood with Ukraine lastweekend as residents of the town stood in support of the war-torn country.

The show of solidarity took place on Saturday at the town’s war memorial in an event organised by Newton Crisis Aid.

Around 200 people, many donning the blue and yellow colours of Ukraine or carrying the national flag, attended the vigil.

Andrew Rose, chairman of Newton Crisis Aid, said he was amazed at the turnout, given that the vigil was planned at short notice.

‘We were expecting maybe 20 or so,’ he said. ‘But the response today has really been overwhelming.’

Newton Abbot resident Svetlana Pike, who moved from Ukraine to Newton Abbot in 1996, gave a poignant and moving speech to the the crowd.

‘I am very grateful to everyone who has turned up to express solidarity with us,’ she said.

‘I still have family in both Kyiv and the east of the country and these are terrible and worrying times.’

I have an aunt in her 80s living on the 11th floor of a block of flats in Kyiv. Her neighbour is in his 90s and they can’t get out.’