The DEC charity appeal in UK raises £55 million in a single day.

The UK Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) has raised £55 million in its first day of fundraising to assist thousands of Ukrainians escaping the fighting.

According to DEC, the amount includes contributions from the Queen, the Prince of Wales, and the Duke of Cambridge.

Within hours of its inauguration on Thursday, hundreds of thousands of people had donated to the humanitarian effort.

The UK government contributed £20 million as part of its UK Aid Match scheme.

Fifteen UK relief organisations have banded together to seek the public for donations, including the British Red Cross, Oxfam, and Save the Children.

Since Russian military invaded Ukraine last Thursday, more than a million people have fled the country.

Fighting has continued over the previous two days, with at least 47 civilians dead in the northern city of Chernihiv on Thursday, as well as the shelling of a nuclear power station by Russia.