Ukrainian refugee now classes Darlington as her home
It's four years today since the full-scale invasion began in Ukraine
A Ukrainian refugee is telling us how she feels Darlington is now her home.
It's four years today since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began.
Snegana Pazin, also known as Snow, fled from Kyiv two weeks with her daughter and settled in Darlington.
Snegana said: "For me it's been a very long time because for these four years there's been many things happening in my life and in Ukraine as well. It's painful because I can't see my family and my country.
"In a normal life four years isn't too much of a big period but in life with war when every day you see the news, every day you hear how many people have died, how many rockets come to Ukraine and it's painful.
"We have a group of Ukrainian women who support each other here in Darlington. It's a big group and we support Ukraine, we support each other and this community is very important for me.
"I want to say thank you to English people and everyone who supports us, everyone who still believes that the whole world will be peaceful and truthful. English people seem to have forgotten the war though. I understand that because life goes on. It's normal for them.
"For me, Darlington is my home. I would like to stay here because my daughter goes to school here, she grew up here, and my daughter's become more like a British girl. My daughter sees all backgrounds here, she lives here, and she likes this town. I like the people and I've found more friends here. I feel like it's my home.
"Sometimes she forgets some words in Ukrainian but remembers them in English. It's so interesting. I understand that and I hear how her pronunciations are British. When she uses her phone and types messages to her friends she does it so quickly and in slang, and for me I don't understand what she's typing."