An ex-British soldier who had been helping refugees and training Ukrainians how to defend themselves has been killed in the war-torn country.
Julian Thorn, also known as Jay, had travelled to Ukraine to “share the skills” he had learned after serving in the Fusiliers and during tours of Afghanistan.
The 36-year-old was recently killed in a car crash in the country and fiancee Louise Lathbury has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money to repatriate his body.
It has so far raised nearly £7,000.
Ms Lathbury, originally from Berkshire, said: “It would mean everything because we need to bring him back whole.
"He needs to come back and he needs to be him and so then we can do what's right for him when we get him home.
“The thing with Jay is I don't think it was just the Ukraine situation - if he could help he wanted to help no matter what it was.
"He loved animals - we've got rescue animals all over the place because he just wanted to help."
"I want him to have a nice send-off and be where he loved - he loved Hadrian's Wall and he loved Northumberland and I just want him to come back and be in the place he loved so much.
“[His death has] left a void in my heart which can never be filled.”
Ms Lathbury said Mr Thorn had died "instantly" in the crash, which was confirmed by a colleague in Ukraine and the Foreign Office.
She was told of her partner's death on May 21 - the day she had made a wedding ring as a surprise .
She added: "To be honest I didn't believe it was real and I did ask, 'Are you sure it's him? Are you sure it's him?'
"But the other thing is we were talking about the wedding and everything and I'd made his wedding ring on that Sunday - and then you think, did I tempt fate by making it?
"You do, you think silly things like that when it happens.
"I was devastated - it was a surprise and I was going to give it to him when he got back."
Any money left over from the GoFundMe campaign will be donated to another family attempting to repatriate a loved one's body and to an animal charity.
The GoFundMe page reads: “As we all come to terms with this unthinkable loss, I have to face the overwhelming task of repatriating Jay back home. The cost of this is incredibly high and I’m reaching out for your support at this difficult time.”
