A journalist who undertook a 280-mile trip through war-torn Ukraine to save a bear is to relive his experiences at a forthcoming event.

Birmingham-based journalist Richard Ashmore joined an animal rescue charity to help save the Eurasion brown bear after the sanctuary where it was being kept was impacted by the conflict.

The bear, named Masha, had spent 19 years of its life performing tricks in a circus and was due to be moved from near Lviv to Romania when the Russians invaded in 2022.

Richard undertook the rescue mission with videographer Andrew Drury and Lionel de Lange, founder and director of the Warriors for Wildlife charity which advocates rescuing wildlife animals bred out of captivity and finding them a new home or sanctuary closer to their natural habitat.

Richard Ashmore (left) and Vitali Klitschko, Mayor of Kyiv

It took the charity’s rescue team two days to complete their journey to a bear sanctuary near Zarnesti in Romania where Masha, instead of living in a tiny iron cage, could enjoy the freedom of open spaces.

Richard, a senior news reporter with Express.co.uk, will share the story of the rescue at a Birmingham Press Club function on Wednesday, 17 April.

A former Reporter of the Year at the Regional Press Awards, Richard began his career at the now-defunct Coventry Times, a sister title to the Coventry Evening Telegraph.

He has recently returned from Ukraine, where he interviewed Vitali Klitschko, the Mayor of Kyiv, who has been internationally praised as a symbol of Ukrainian resistance.

The event will held at Hockley Social Club, 60 Hampton Street, Birmingham, B19 3LU, commencing at 7 pm.

Tickets priced £10 are available by emailing Fred Bromwich at [email protected].