TWO Basingstoke men have found themselves waiting outside a UK visa application centre in Poland as they fight to get a Ukrainian family to Britain.

Anton Schembri, from Hook, and Jim Coomber, from Odiham, travelled to the Ukrainian border this week to donate essential goods and money to fleeing refugees.

They were delivering medical supplies, food and sanitary items, collected through a drive by Chris Fox and Goose Greywell, who run Fox & Goose pub in Hook.

However, Anton and Jim are now shuttling between visa application centres and waiting outside in the cold weather, as they try to get UK visas for a Ukrainian family Anton is friends with.

READ MORE: Meet the Basingstoke father of three driving aid into war-torn Ukraine in an £800 truck

The Ukrainian family, that includes a 13-month-old baby, has their sister in UK. They are applying for a family visa to travel. The sister has also now flown to Poland to help Anton and James.

Anton, 22, a former ancient history and Spanish student at Cardiff University, has applied for the family’s visa by promising to sponsor them and provide housing.

He has also created a gofundme page to support the family.

“I had a dear friend in Ukraine who can't get help. He was conscripted at the border, so I said: ‘I'll get your family out,” Anton said in an interview he gave to Sky News outside the visa centre in Rzeszow.

“I offered my home, I offered my finances, I campaigned for a sponsorship scheme... but here they are [waiting for several days outside the visa application centre]."

According to his family back in Hook, Anton has said the family has been able to process their biometrics, but they might have to wait for another five to six days before their visas are approved.

“I understand that normally you need some rules, but in a crisis, that should go out of the window,” Anton said in another interview as he spoke to the Telegraph.

He added: “Every time I hear on the news that we’re accepting so many refugees, I want to punch the TV because it’s a lie.”

Pointing to an empty foyer, which he believes the Home Office officials could use to keep people warm while they wait, he said: “These kids are hungry. As if they’ve not been through enough.”

SEE ALSO: Basingstoke woman to fly to Poland to support Ukrainians

Anton left Hook to travel to Poland on Monday, March 7, along with Jim, who runs the Pickled Pepper Deli in Odiham.

To contribute to Anton's fundraiser for the Ukrainian family, visit gofundme.com/f/my-mission-to-ukraine

To support Chris and Goose's fundraiser to collect items for the refugees, visit gofund.me/755f3283

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