Co-founder of Factory Records and renowned humanitarian Alan Erasmus has told friends 'I'm not having this' before vowing to fly out to war-torn Ukraine.
It is believed Mr Erasmus, 72, from Manchester, will fly to Krakow in Poland before travelling over land across the border to Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine which is under siege from Russia President Vladimir Putin's forces.
It's not the first time he has run towards danger.
Friends have described how he also went to Liberia when the west African country was stricken by a deadly outbreak of the ebola virus.
READ MORE: Moment fireball erupts as Russian missile hits Ukrainian government building
In an interview on Sunday, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss backed Britons who want to go to Ukraine to fight Putin's forces although the official advice from the Foreign Office is that UK citizens should not travel.
The latest estimate suggests more than half a million refugees have fled Ukraine, including Reddish business consultant Jez Myers.
Follow our live updates from Ukraine here
Mr Erasmus is heading the other way.
He famously co-founded Factory Records, the indie record label, alongside the late Anthony Wilson in 1978.
The label is credited with playing a key part in the city’s transformation from a decaying former industrial powerhouse to a beacon of art and culture.
On Monday morning, Mr Erasmus, also an actor, contacted a series of friends and informed them he was due to fly out to Poland before heading to Kyiv.
One of them was former Hacienda DJ and author Dave Haslam, who shared his friend's message on Twitter and Facebook.
Mr Erasmus wrote: "Good morning Dave. Cold, wet, Manchester morning. On Friday I thought 'I'm not having this', I've fought bullies of one kind or another, all my life.
"This is a very, very, very important moment in history Dave, it cannot be lost. I booked a flight to Krakow tomorrow, from there I will make my way to Kyiv. Once there (with Durutti in mind) I will set about convening the Factory Nentsev Column made up of fellow helpers and volunteers.
"I know no one in Kyiv. Do you or any of your colleagues have any contacts there, it would be extremely helpful. Maybe one person can make a difference. Wish me luck, stay safe."
The Durutti Column was an anarchist unit which fought General Franco in Spain's civil war.
Some members of Manchester's Ukraine community have already made attempts to put Mr Erasmus in touch with contacts in Kyev.
Sharing the post to his 48,000 followers on Twitter, Mr Haslam wrote: "This is genuine and heartfelt. Alan has a history of humanitarian action."
