Crewe man set to drive to Poland with £4,400 worth of burn treatment kits to help Ukrainians

Video report by ITV Granada Reports journalist Sarah Rogers.

A "severely disabled" man from the North West is preparing to drive to south-eastern Poland to deliver burn treatment kits to help injured Ukrainians.

Stephen Bratherton, from Haslington, near Crewe, is setting off on his thousand-mile trip across Europe on Saturday, 12 March, in response to the conflict in Ukraine.

He lost the use of his left leg three years ago when he was involved in a hit and run, causing him to walk with a quad stick.

Stephen is unable to work, but says "the one thing I can do is drive my car all day and every day, so this is my bit to help those poor people of Ukraine."

He has purchased 40 burn treatment kits, at a cost of more than £4000 of his own money, so that they can be distributed to those in need.

Stephen said: "Each set treats about ten people, which is 400 casulties. There's all kinds of emergency dressings.

"I felt pretty useless. I can't walk very far but I can drive all day long. Of course I'm nervous because I really don't know what I'm driving in to."

Once delivered, he says he wants to find a Ukrainian family and then drive them "wherever they need to go" in Europe.

"I will help them to the ends of the earth", said Stephen. "If they want to go to Spain I'm quite prepared to take them to Spain."

Stephen was left severely disabled after a hit and run, but says it will not stop him helping Ukrainian refugees.

His neighbours said they thought he was mad, but fully support his decision to make the long drive to the Polish - Ukraine Border.

"It would be a lot better if we had more people like Steve", said Shirley Partington, Stephen's neighnour.

This journey to Poland begins on Saturday, 12 March - but he has already begun fundraising to buy more medical equipment he hopes to deliver in the coming weeks.

You can donate to his cause here.