Volunteers thankful for flood of Ukraine donations but plead with people to stop dumping rubbish

Magda Harvey said the Polish White Eagle Club had been overwhelmed with donations, but added they were still lacking some much-needed items. Tap above to watch report by Martin Stew

A team of volunteers thanked Londoners for their generosity towards Ukraine but begged people to stop dumping rubbish at their donation centre.

Dozens of people began queuing round the block in Balham at the weekend after The Polish White Eagle Club asked for help.

Scenes of the long queues of generous donors touched hearts, as Londoners concerned by the plight of Ukrainians enduring Russia's invasion rose to the occasion.

But volunteers sifting through hundreds of bags of clothes said while many donations have been gratefully received and will be sent oversees to help Ukrainian families, others containing "rubbish" will stay here.

"On Friday we posted online asking for donations to help Ukraine," Magda Harvey from The Polish White Eagle Club told ITV News London.

"On Sunday we got overwhelmed with support from local people.

"I think we had every nationality queuing up, some people were queuing for over an hour just to donate something," she added.

But Magda said some people appeared to be "clearing out their garage" and bringing them junk.

"Some people have done that," she said.

"Some people have done a wonderful job and brought what we asked for, everything brand new, really nice but some people brought old stuff which is really humiliating and I won't send it anywhere," she said.

What donations does Ukraine need?

The centre said it would put post a list online asking for the items it most needs, including:

• First aid kits

• Bullet proof vests

• Good quality [battery operated] radios,

• Helmets

• Drones

• Blood bags

Magda appealed for companies to get involved to help supply the items.

Among the people at the donation centre in Balham was mum-of-two Olena Sedliar who has cousins in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.

She was overcome with emotion as she watched people donate.

She said: "I have relatives and friends - some are sitting in bomb shelters and some are fighting.

"It's terrible what's happening and it needs to be stopped.

"It's great that people are helping Ukraine in any way they can.

"I'm terrified about might happen to a country with so much history."