My dear darlins

One child I saw was the same age as Madison... it's heartbreaking

- BY TOM BRYANT

As a new dad, Olly Murs knows only too well the natural instinct to keep children safe, which is why his visit to a Unicef project in Romania supporting families displaced by the war in Ukraine is heartbreaking as well as inspiring for him.

And as the 41-year-old pop star prepares to raise funds for the aid organisation by taking part in a 400km challenge to mark Soccer Aid's 20th anniversary, he says meeting those youngsters will help him dig deep when the going gets tough.

The Dear Darlin' singer, who has daughter Madison and seven-monthold son Albert with his wife Amelia, says: "One of the ladies I spoke to had a daughter who was one year and seven months old, which isn't far away from where my daughter Madi is right now, who has just turned two.

"That was the real shock for me and what really hit home: these are parents like me, and they're really up against it.

"As a parent, every day we want to protect our child and make them feel safe in a safe country.

"Imagine going through that, the thought of having to leave my home with a war going on, trying to keep my children alive and looked after. Not to mention the stress that your house could be bombed or you could be killed - it's just overwhelming. Your first thought is to protect your child.