Gary Lineker 'heartbroken' over BBC report on Ukraine's child cancer patients

Gary Lineker has shared his heartbreak over a difficult-to-watch BBC report about Ukrainian child cancer patients forced to flee their home country.

The former footballer's own eldest son, George, was treated for leukaemia as a baby in 1991 and Lineker has since supported many cancer charities, including children's cancer charity CLIC Sargent.

He was one of many viewers moved by Sunday night's BBC News report into the desperate situation facing children caught up in the conflict with Russia.

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Lineker, 61, shared a clip of BBC journalist Mark Lowen's report from Poland, where Ukrainian children had been moved to in hopes of continuing their cancer treatment, captioning it "Utterly heartbreaking".

The clip had already been tweeted by Lowen, who wrote: "This one broke our hearts: Ukrainian children cancer patients fleeing their hospitals and evacuated to Poland. Vital chemotherapy broken off by Russia's bombs. It is unspeakably cruel. Our latest for #BBCNewsTen with @FrancescoTosto6 @MichaSteininger and Dominika Zurawska."

It told the story of seriously ill young patients who had been sent to a hotel in Poland where one doctor was tasked with deciding which of them needed to be moved immediately to hospitals in Poland and Germany.

One boy told the camera crew that he missed his grandparents but was glad not to have to run to bomb shelters as they had done in Ukraine, describing it as "scary and hard".

A mother of another patient said: "Our hearts are tearing from pain. My son always says he's fine, but we need to continue his treatment."

Other viewers were hugely affected by the report too as one person tweeted: "Utterly heartbreaking. Does anyone know the details of this hospital? I would like to raise money and help these poor children and their families."

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Someone else wrote: "I felt horror and heartbreak for these children and also empathy with the team reporting this, who must feel powerless..."

Another person added: "This is just awful. The horror of being told your child has cancer is distressing enough but imagine not being able to treat them."

Sunday's BBC News at 10 also included a disturbing report of Ukraine civilians, including children, elderly and disabled people, trying to leave their home town as they were fired at, with one family killed.

One viewer tweeted: "Tonight’s @BBCNews at 10 was truly horrific. What’s happening is hard to imagine and huge credit to all reporting for sharing the stories of the civilians - the images of the family killed tonight won’t leave me. It’s horrendous and hideous."

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Someone else agreed: "Watching @BBCNews at 10 and I honestly don't know what to say, utterly heartbreaking."

Another person wrote: "@BBCNews @ 10 tonight @BBCOne from #Ukraine️ was the most distressing, gut wrenching 30 minutes of tv news I've ever watched. Terrible stories, sensitively told by @BowenBBC @marklowen @sarahrainsford @reetacbbc @thehuwedwards As @marklowen said: "One man's war..." No words."

Watch: Retired UK firefighter flies out to Ukraine to help