A tiny rural North east community offering sanctuary to dozens of Ukrainians has been thwarted by 'shameful' delays in the Government's visa system.
The villagers of Rothbury in Northumberland - which has a population of little more than 2,000 - rallied round to help as soon as war broke out.
A team of volunteers applied for visas on behalf of families living in Kyiv, Lviv and Mariupol.
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They have been thwarted by delays in the Government system despite at least a dozen applications, some made two weeks ago.
One family was told that a baby arriving with relatives from the Ukraine would have to provide fingerprints as it had no passport.
Villagers have also offered to help with food and transport if they cannot offer homes.
Northumberland county councillor Steven Bridgett estimates around 30 people have come forward to offer their homes.
He said: "The people here have been in touch with families in Ukraine and helped them do the visa applications.
"They have been waiting two weeks now for this to be sorted by the Government.
"It is not just disgraceful, it is shameful that they have had to wait so long.
"These people need our help as quickly as possible - they are being bombarded by missiles and hiding in bunkers."
Social worker Claire Forster, 53, and her retired police officer husband Ian, 50, are offering sanctuary in their home.
But visas have been delayed for teacher Romanna Holub, 39, daughter Sofia, 14, and two-year-old son Marko as her husband Myton, 36, will stay behind to fight the war.
Romanna does not want to leave Lviv until they have the proper documents to come to the UK. They know of friends who have become 'trapped' in Poland with nowhere to go.
Claire said: "A lot of people have fled, but they have stayed. They are really desperate to get out but want to know they have somewhere safe.
"They were in the basement this week because of the air raid sirens going off.
"We are all ready for them, my daughter is away at university so we will take her bedroom and they will have a bedroom and their own living room.
"It is so frustrating not being able to get them here, we completed the forms two weeks ago."
Refugees Minister Lord Harrington has pledged to 'streamline' the application system.
A Government spokesman said they were working to deal with the demand through the 'Homes for Ukraine' scheme, with 25,500 visas issued in the past three weeks.
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