The family of a British volunteer who has gone missing while helping to evacuate civilians from the frontline in Ukraine has launched a desperate plea for his safe return.
Truro-born Christopher Parry, 28, disappeared alongside fellow Brit Andrew Bagshaw, 48, with the pair not seen for several days, according to local police.
The duo were heading to the town of Soledar in the Donetsk region where fighting has been fierce in recent days. The last contact they had was when they left Kramatorsk at 8am on Friday.
Mr Parry was a humanitarian volunteer who has been helping to evacuate citizens from the front line.
Speaking from her Cornish home, his mother Christine Parry said they were being supported by the Foreign Office and were just praying for good news.
She said they were very proud of Chris’ work but were still digesting the news and didn't want to add anything to a family statement they had prepared for the foreign office.
In the statement, the family, that also includes dad Robin Parry and Chris’ partner, he was described as "compassionate and caring."
The statement said: “We are very worried and concerned about the health and whereabouts of Chris right now.
“He is an extraordinary person who is compassionate and caring and would not be dissuaded from his work in Ukraine liberating elderly and disabled people, which we are very proud of.
“We, his family and partner, all love him very much and would be grateful if our privacy could be respected at this difficult time.”
Mr Parry had previously launched a GoFundMe appeal to help his work and had smashed his previous £17,500 target. He has now raised more than £23k towards his renewed £25k target.
He wrote: “I’ve done this as there are a team of us here, all working together evacuating civilians from the front line. Therefore, any money raised beyond £17,500 will be used to fund any future expenses which would otherwise stop us from working."
On the page, he also detailed some of the work he was doing. He added: “My name’s Chris Parry and I'm a foreign volunteer in Ukraine evacuating civilians from the front line to safety.
“To do this I desperately need an off-road vehicle to deal with the terrible road conditions, which will only get worse in winter."
He also gave examples of some of the types of evacuations he had done, including one of a 25-year-old mother and her four-year-old son.
He added: “They were in Southern Bakhmut, where they had been waiting for an evacuation by any group for a month, but nobody would go to that area. Our group then received the request and made it our priority to try to evacuate them the next day.
“When we arrived there was a firefight between Russian and Ukrainian soldiers in the next street, while a large artillery battle was happening all around.
“An hour later they were safe, warm and fed at a hospital in a nearby city. Oh yeah, and he had a new toy car to take his mind off things which one of the group gifted to him.
“Another family, mother (32) and her four children who'd been surviving in a cellar in occupied Russian territory since March. Their father was taken by the Russians.
“The vehicle which I intend to buy is a Toyota Land Cruiser, as it is famously good off-road, reliable and can transport six passengers.
“If by some miracle we manage to reach the target, all further money will be used for off road/winter tyres, maintenance, fuel etc."
Mr Bagshaw was a dual citizen of both the UK and New Zealand and went to Ukraine from New Zealand, where he had been living.
In the statement, his parents Philip and Dame Susan Bagshaw, described him as “a very intelligent, independently minded person."
The statement added: “He was born in the UK, and Philip and Susan are very grateful for all the agencies, from both London and NZ, who are working so hard to find him.
"Andrew is a very intelligent, independently-minded person, who went there as a volunteer to assist the people of Ukraine, believing it to be the morally right thing to do.
“Andrew‘s parents love him dearly and are immensely proud of all the work he has been doing delivering food and medicines and assisting elderly people move from near the battlefront of the war.”
A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesman said: “We are supporting the families of two British men who have gone missing in Ukraine.”