Ukrainian refugees: Twins, five, still waiting for visas for UK

A Ukrainian mother seeking safety in the UK has still not received visas for her twin daughters, it has emerged.

Dalia, whose visa has arrived, and the five-year-olds have been offered a home in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.

Their host Serena Last said if something happens to the twins "there is going to be blood on the hands of the government".

The town's MP Jo Churchill said her team had been in "constant dialogue" with the Home Office.

Home Secretary Priti Patel has apologised for visa delays for Ukrainian refugees.

Dalia and her daughters are currently sheltering in their basement in Ternopol, a city in western Ukraine.

She said she will "just stay waiting, hope that the visas come or [what] will be best [is] if this war would be stopped".

Her host, Ms Last, met Dalia when the Ukrainian was living in the Suffolk town.

She said Dalia had told her the family had been sheltering from bombing and said "they shouldn't be doing that, they should be here".

Another family waiting for visas are Nina and her eight-year-old son who escaped from Odessa a month ago and are currently in Germany.

Emily Sloman, who is hoping to host the family in Bury St Edmunds, said: "To try and support a family who are desperate, you can't give them an update, you can't find a status or give them [or] an estimation of how long it's going to be.

"That's so frustrating for us."

Conservative MP for Bury St Edmunds, Ms Churchill, said some of her constituents who have used the Homes for Ukraine Scheme have found it "clunky".

She said she had suggested "improvements to the scheme to make it simpler to operate for those trying to escape the horrors in Ukraine".

"My office team is in the Home Office hub daily and in constant dialogue with them to assist those constituents whose sponsors are awaiting visas and information," she said.

Home Secretary Ms Patel apologised for visa delays that have prevented thousands of Ukrainian refugees entering the UK.

She said: "Completely, it's been frustrating. I apologise with frustration myself.

"I'll be very candid, it has taken time. Any new scheme takes time, any new visa system takes time."

A government spokeswoman said: "The Homes for Ukraine scheme was set up in record time but we acknowledge progress approving visas has not been good enough."

She added that changes have been made and the process "streamlined".

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