Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Zoe Delaney

Homes Under The Hammer's Martin Roberts drives 26 hours on 'mercy dash' to help Ukraine

Homes Under The Hammer 's Martin Roberts has updated fans on his heroic trip to offer aid to war-torn Ukraine.

The daytime TV star, 58, is currently embarking on a lengthy journey from the UK to the Poland/Ukraine border with supplies - a trek that will take him over 26-hours in total.

Taking to Instagram on Sunday morning, the BBC presenter told his followers he had managed "a few hours sleep", after originally attempting to drive the whole way without stopping.

The property expert checked into a hotel in the Netherlands last night, after "feeling tired" throughout the incredibly long drive.

Martin explained he was preparing for the second leg of his quest on Sunday morning - another 13 hour drive across Germany and Poland in order to reach the Ukraine border and provide those in need with supplies.

Homes Under The Hammer's Martin Roberts updated his fans before setting off on the second half of his mammoth journey (martinrobertstv/Instagram)

The dad-of-two has confessed he feels a "massive responsibility" to deliver the precocious supplies and he hopes to donate to those who have been displaced in the next 24 hours.

Since Russia forces invaded neighbouring country Ukraine last month, many Ukrainians have been forced to flee their homeland and seek refugee in other countries.

"More than half of all refugees who have left Ukraine are in Poland. So, if there are five million, just imagine that we get 2.5m," Poland's president predicted when talking about the crisis to BBC’s Sunday Morning show.

In the wake of Russian's invasion, generous Britons have donated vital supplies and money for the thousands of Ukrainian refugees arriving across the border.

Ukrainians were greeted by volunteers upon their arrival in Madrid on Friday (Europa Press via Getty Images)

Following appeals for help as families flee their homes in Kyiv and other major cities, there has been a massive outpouring from people wanting to help out - including Homes Under The Hammer star Martin.

Speaking in his latest social media update, the presenter updated fans on his progress, as he makes it his mission to help those impacted by Vladimir Putin's senseless attacks on Ukraine.

"I’ve managed a few hours sleep and yeah, it’s a really tough day today, it’s another 13 hours on the road," he told his followers in the video shared to both Twitter and Instagram.

Martin is currently back on the road for the final leg of his journey (martinrobertstv/Instagram)

"Probably the longest day’s driving I’ve ever done, all the way down through Poland and a large portion of Germany.

"Lots of music on the stereo, lots of wine gums, and probably bits of Red Bull. Lots of Red Bull."

He continued: "We’ll just get on with it. The thing is, the thing that keeps me going is that there are people that are waiting, although they don’t know they’re waiting yet.

"They’re there and they don’t know we are coming, but we are, with these really important supplies."

Martin is the host of hit BBC show Homes Under the Hammer (BBC)

"I feel quite a responsibility… a massive responsibility. But we’ll just get there."

Martin's update comes after he emotionally filmed himself outside a Costco, confessing he felt helpless amid the heartbreaking crisis that has seen over 1.5million Ukrainians fleeing their home country since President Putin began a string of terrifying attacks on 24 February 2022.

The TV star broke down in tears as he revealed he had been unable to bulk-buy Calpol for Ukrainian children from the retail store.

The TV star has been trying to buy as many supplies as he can (martinrobertstv/Instagram)

Martin claimed he was allegedly only permitted to purchase two bottles of Calpol at a time - something that frustrated him as he tried to purchase much-needed supplies.

He explained how fellow shoppers helped him purchase some additional bottles and everybody is "trying to do their bit" to help those in crisis.

"So whatever small step you can take to do your bit, just do it. Because even a couple of bottles of these might help," he added in the moving video.

Martin has been giving candid and emotional updates throughout his mission (martinrobertstv/Instagram)

"So do that for me alright. Not for me obviously. Do it for them. Because this is actually, if you think about it, going hopefully into the mouth of a child that needs it."

He concluded: "A homeless child who’s now wondering what the hell’s going on in some refugee camp somewhere."

"Anyway, you get the idea. Sorry."

Martin's heroic efforts come as the UK's response has been slow in the face of the biggest refugee crisis in Europe since the Second World War with around 2.2 million having fled the country.

On Friday, Technology minister Chris Philp said the details of plans to allow Ukrainian refugees to come and stay with British families will be set out "in the very near future".

He told Sky News: "We're going to be making announcements in the very near future about a scheme for UK local authorities, and indeed UK families, to welcome Ukrainian refugees, we've announced that principle and the details of how that scheme works will be laid out in the very near future."

Want all the latest news and analysis from Ukraine? Sign up to our World News Bulletin here

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.