AFTER all the upheaval of fleeing war-torn Ukraine and moving to the foreign surroundings of the Isle of Wight, twin boys Denys and Artem have quickly settled into local life thanks to Newport Youth Football Club.

The eight-year-old Yershov brothers, who came to the Island from Kiev with mother Tetiana, under the government's Homes for Ukraine scheme, have had to adapt to their new way of life and culture, living in East Cowes.

Football lovers Denys and Artem were going for a walk with their mum at Wootton Rec last summer when they saw the Newport U9s doing a training session.

The team's manager, former Newport FC captain, Martin McDonough, said: "The lads were training and the two boys strolled over and asked if they could join in. They happened to be in the same age group.

"I said to come back for the next training session the following week, they came and have been very happy with us ever since. They are a couple of really good lads."

Artem is their goalkeeper and Denys, a winger.

In only their first games playing for the U9 team, they helped Newport win the Mark Burrows Memorial Tournament.

In the final, Artem was the hero, saving a penalty.

In a recent Isle of Wight Sunday Youth U9 League game, Denys scored six times.

"The tournament was the first games they had played and have settled in really well — like they've been there for years," Martin added.