The Birthday Gathering he attended at Downing Street Injune 2020 had breached the rules. The multi Million Pound cruising industry was one of the first to shut down as the pandemic hit with ships grounded from February 2020 and passengers bought home in a rescue effort. Now, the first Cruise Company to launch in the uk in ten years is preparing for its Maiden Voyage from its home dock in tilbury as Thomas Magill reports. Getting the party started, these are the first guests on board ambience, a special moment, notjust for the bosses of the first british cruise line to lodge in ten years but also for its passengers. We were in also for its passengers. Were in basildon, so this is just a half hour ride maybe the first of just a half hour ride maybe the first of many just a half hour ride maybe | the first of many absolutely fabulous the first of many absolutely fabulous we the first of many absolutely fabulous we booked the first of many absolutely| fabulous we booked another the first of many absolutely fabulous we booked another one for christmas on here, for 15 nights. For christmas on here, for 15 niuhts. ,. ,. ,. , nights. Many here, a long wait after cruising nights. Many here, a long wait after cruising all nights. Many here, a long wait after cruising all background. After cruising all background to a halt during the pandemic so how strong a sign is this that customers are happy to get on board . We that customers are happy to get on board . ~. , on board . We have seen confidence on board . We have seen confidence coming on board . We have seen confidence coming back| confidence coming back extremely strong, the moment we went on sale, we sold 50 of the programme in the first three months. We also have headquarters in essex where we have created 50 jobs already and this will grow further. Weve also providing all the jobs to the local economy, if it is the board, the security on board, the baggage handler, the local gardeners shops and supplies. It the local gardeners shops and su lies. , the local gardeners shops and sulies. ,. , the local gardeners shops and su lies. ,. ,. Supplies. It is part port and Park Community supplies. It is part port and Park Community and supplies. It is part port and Park Community and when l supplies. It is part port and Park Community and when covid heat, Park Community and when covid heat. So Park Community and when covid heat, so many locals were out of work heat, so many locals were out of work because of no cruise ships of work because of no cruise ships in of work because of no cruise ships in the terminal lay dormant for two years and i suspect dormant for two years and i suspect back in action and working suspect back in action and working again. Suspect back in action and working again. What it is like to be a godmother working again. What it is like to be a godmother of working again. What it is like to be a godmother of a working again. What it is like | to be a godmother of a cruise ship it is crazy amazing on board today is the ships godmother, and olympian sally donnell, he says it is a very special moment. It donnell, he says it is a very special moment. Special moment. It is about wishinu special moment. It is about wishing to special moment. It is about wishing to ship special moment. It is about wishing to ship good special moment. It is about wishing to ship good luck. Special moment. It is about| wishing to ship good luck as special moment. It is about i wishing to ship good luck as it sails off and you do, you are celebrating today, and its a bit of responsibility as well and on you guys. Bit of responsibility as well and on you guys. And as guests rather in and on you guys. And as guests gather in the and on you guys. And as guests gather in the lounge, and on you guys. And as guests gather in the lounge, many and on you guys. And as guests gather in the lounge, many are| gather in the lounge, many are thankful to have this now other doorstep and looking forward to the joys of hitting the high seas. Now on bbc news, goodbye home ukraines border heartbreak; Stephanie Hegarty finds relief and heartbreak in equal measure at ukraines border, as families start to come to terms with their new lives as refugees. Air raid siren wails. Explosion. Its been a Relentless Assault on ordinary lives. This is the neighbour, and thats where the bomb, or whatever it was. Since the start of the war in ukraine, thousands of people have been killed. And millions have been forced to leave their homes, saying goodbye to everything they know. Theyre from kyiv . Yeah, its all the stuff they brought with them. Im travelling to northern romania, to the small border town of siret, where relief and heartbreak come in waves. Hey . To meet the ukrainian families separated by this war. Itjust dawned on me that the possibility of me losing her, its not zero, its possible. And to find out how theyre coming to terms with their new lives as refugees. Theyre here, theyre waiting. Kettle whistles this is the video of the street parallel to my parents. Just a few weeks ago, galya was an estate agent, but shes just escaped ukraine with her daughters. Lesia, hersister, came from london to meet them, and theyre all staying in the small flat that theyre renting, close to the border in romania. But their mum and dad stayed behind in their hometown, bucha. What was it like, looking at all this news coming in of your hometown . Its horrible. Like, my school is gone. Like, if, like, most of the places that ive known, theyve bombed. My side of where i grew up, its mostly gone. Wow. Yeah. Its early march, and bucha has been under siege for days. This quiet, leafy suburb is one of the last lines of defence, as ukraine pushes Russian Forces away from kyiv. Russia is moving in to take the town, and its impossible to even imagine the extent of the horror that will unfold here. This is the neighbour. Thats his house, and thats where the bomb, or whatever it was. His house is here, my parents were here, and the bomb landed in the middle. And the entrance to the cellar was on this side. They were both in there. We didnt know what was happening with them. So i watched this video and i was like, i couldnt even finish it. I was like trying to call them, but there was no reply. Last they heard, their parents were still hiding in the cellar of galyas house. The same place that galya hid with her daughters before they ran. On facebook, a lot of people are saying, can you please pick up my immobile mum or grandmother . , or, theres children in the basement. You dont know whos alive and who isnt. And theres people on the street, just dead people on the street. Finally, they got a phone call. It was their mum and dad. Theyre alive, and forced to accept that its time to leave bucha. Theyjoin hundreds of people trying to leave the suburbs of kyiv. A pause in intense fighting has been agreed. Explosion. But its still not safe. Travelling through this border region, we find every hotel and every guest house full of people whove left ukraine, and some who are heading in the other direction. In the town of gura humorului, i meet denys. Hes from mykolaiv and, this morning, he woke up to hear that this had happened. Explosions just yesterday night, my city was under attack. My family, my wife, and i have two daughters, 15 years old and ten years old. 0k. So theyre waiting for me. Its mid march, and Russian Forces are pushing along the south coast of ukraine. They want to capture the port city of odesa, on the black sea, and Mykolaiv Stands in the way. Denys was working as an engineer in The Netherlands when the war started. He wants to drive this van over the border to deliver supplies and to rescue his family. What are you bringing . Oil, food, medicine, er, the most expensive of medicine. How do you feel about seeing your daughters . I miss them. Its. And i worry, and. Youll see them soon. Yeah, i will see them soon. From the moment i go across the border, i have not any plans. I cannot make any plans, actually, because i dont know how it will go. Its absolutely unpredictable. Sierns wail if you go to ukraine, you can pick up your family, but you cant come out. Yes, yes. I will bring them to the border. Later on, my friend, peter, he will cross the border, pick them up and bring to the european union. And i have to stay, so its a one way ticket for me. But anyway, im ready. But for now, hes stuck here in romania, waiting for a piece of paperwork, so that the van can cross the border. I think its very difficult. Im reading the news and, from this, ifeel worse and worse. But anyway, we cannot give up. It must be terrifying, though, for you. I cannot. I cannot even explain what i feel now. Putins war has created an exodus from ukraine. Since the beginning of the invasion, more than four Million People have left. And by mid march, thousands are crossing into romania every day, at this border, in the tiny town of siret. Theyre met with a wall of kindness from the romanian emergency services. And from hundreds of volunteers, like katya. Katya is from dnipro, in south east ukraine. Her mum still lives there. Theyre from kyiv. Yeah, its all the stuff they brought with them. Katya lives in the uk, but the day the war broke out, she came here, with her partner, petro. Hands on deck now. Im looking forward to some physical work yeah. To warm up, yeah. Theyre organising the shipment of aid, especially medicine, into dnipro. On the other side, katyas mum is also helping out. Look, theres a sign there, welcome to ukraine. She speaks in ukrainian. Uh, uh, uh hey natasha, my mum. Natasha, hi. I am natasha. This morning has been especially difficult. Katya woke up to hear that dnipro was attacked for the first time. Explosion katyas afraid shell lose contact with her mum. Shes been trying to convince her to leave. When do you think youll be ready to leave dnipro . Nice to meet you. Stay safe, please. So, have you accepted the fact your mums going to. Not going to leave, or are you going to keep trying . Itjust dawned on me that the possibility of me losing her, its not zero, its possible. Before, it was, you know, an irrationalfear. Now, its a rationalfear. I had a little outburst last night and somehow, though, this flow of warm feelings from the childhood, remembering how shes taken care of me on when im little, and ijust lost it for a few minutes. Lesia and galya have just heard from their mum and dad. So, theyre already on this side of the border, just waiting for us. Hmm. Still 20 minutes. But one person is not with them. Shes saying that she doesnt miss her grandparents any more, she misses her dad now, because now she knows that her grandparents are coming. Yep. Its hard to explain to kids as well that god knows when theyre going to see their dad. Can you do a facetime call . Yeah, but its not the same, is it . No, not really. Because of ukraines martial law and his work helping with evacuations, galyas husband cant leave. Theyre somewhere in the building, in some sort of building, yeah, they said theyre somewhere in the building, but i havent seen a building there. How was the journey, long . She translates good. They got lucky. And here, only 15 minutes, and they were through. Two borders in 15 minutes. What was it like leaving home . Dont ask. Yeah. For now, you cant even explain it, but you have to. A0 years building and building and, in one minute, its all gone. Because my dad actually built the house that we lived in and the house that my sister lived in. So, yeah. Yeah. After almost two weeks sleeping underground, petro and lyudmila can finally get a warm shower and a good nights sleep. My mums like, ive been in this hat for ten days, without taking it off nastyas like, when we are home, i will make you warm. But there are thousands of families still trapped by fighting in ukraine. Were just waiting for denys. He was supposed to be crossing into ukraine in the van, but they still havent got the paperwork, and things are getting so bad in mykolaiv, where his family are, hes going to cross on foot and just try and get there however he can. Denys has no idea what to expect on the other side. But theres some good news. His wife and daughters have escaped from mykolaiv. Not the best case, not the best situation when i want to see my country. 0k. Whats your plan . Go home. Go home . Not the best case, not the best situation when i want to see my country. 0k. Whats your plan . Go home. Go home . Whats the latest with your wife and children . Im waiting, they have to cross the border to moldova, now. Ill go. Cant imagine what must be going through his head right now. Minutes after he crosses into ukraine, a message comes through from denys. Im home, he says. Were just heading back in to meet lesias parents. Theyve been in romania about a day now and theyve had a chance to have a warm shower and a good sleep, so were just going to catch up with them and find out a bit more about their journey. Tell us a little bit about the past two weeks, how have they been . So, when did you finally decide to leave . Before he retired, petro was a builder, but he has no idea if hell return to the home and the town before he retired, petro was a builder, but he has no idea if hell return to the home and the town that he helped build. Petro and lyudmila have gone to portugal, for now. At the end of march, Russian Forces were pushed out of bucha. A neighbour told petro that their house is still standing, but its been ransacked. Evidence is emerging of potential war crimes in bucha. Civilians have been found dead on the street. Galya and her daughters have come to london to stay with lesia. Her husband is still in ukraine. Katya and petro are back in london and still raising money to buy medicine to send to ukraine. Natasha is still in dnipro. And Denys Hasjoined the Territorial Defence forces, in mykolaiv. His wife and daughters made it safely out of ukraine. Hello. The king gardeners out there. Hello. The king gardeners out there. If hello. The king gardeners out there, if your Garden Plants are looking a bit parched at the moment and youre missing out on the moment and youre missing out on some of the showers we on tuesday, you will be gathering the watering can the rest of gathering the watering can the rest of the week im a very little rest of the week im a very little rain rest of the week im a very little rain around. A few showers around Western Areas but notice how the High Pressure charter dominating the uk, pushing low Pressure System is done towards iberia time and time again. Do the week the breeze will be strengthening. Reese tonight across england and wales in the morning which means it might be quite as chilly. Scotland, a touch of Austin Patching mr around which would clear by the morning rush hour. Cloud drifting westwards across england and wales but overall a lot more sunshine around wednesday compared to tuesday but a few showers will pop up through the afternoon across some of these western districts. Most of it dry, a bit more of an easterly breeze, making it feel cooler almost north sea coasts especially, nine or 10 celsius, but a bit warmer than tuesday, simple Western Areas around 16 or 17 degrees, 17 also possible around the moray firth. Wednesday night into thursday, continue with a predominately dry story, cloud drifting in on the breeze with the breeze continuing to pick up and notice how the temperatures dont drop as much as we should, with frost going to thursday morning. Dry and sunny weather into thursday, greater chance of some mist and low cloud, coast of North East England and scotland, cloud drifting to england and wales but sunny spells for many and still pleasantly warm where you have that sunshine but it is going to start feeling cooler down these eastern coasts and you got to bear in mind these easterly winds coming off Sea Temperatures of seven or eight degrees is always going to feel cooler here especially so on friday is that wind picks up even further. Greater chance of some slightly cloud across england and wales at this stage with light showers and a bit of drizzle in places but most will be dry, sheltered from these Western Areas where it could be quite dusty, that wind, is still where we will see the highest temperatures, 15 or 16 in the west of scotland,. Into the weekend, a bit of a complication as to what happens on the low pressure further north out of iberia, and throughout the weekend, still the reason does and that will make it full on eastern coasts but in the sunshine, feeling quite doesnt. This is bbc news. Our top stories. Ukrainian forces say theyre holding out against russias latest attacks, despite intense bombardment in the eastern, donbas region. This community is trying to prepare itself for a full on russia offensive. They are doing their best but this is going to be a difficult, protracted war. The United States and its allies promise to send more weapons to help ukraine in its defence. The british prime minister, borisjohnson, apologises profusely to parliament for Breaking Covid lockdown rules, and insists once again it was not done deliberately. This as soon as i received the notice, i acknowledged the hurt and the anger, and i said that people had a right to expect better of their prime minister