Irina Wilson said 72-year-old Alla Yuzhakova was in her home city of Mykolayiv when the Russian invasion began in February. She was forced to flee her home, and walk in snow and rain to the Moldovan border, where she was fed by strangers - before eventually making it to the Romanian capital of Bucharest.

• BREAKING: Ukrainian grandmother may now be allowed to stay 

Picture of a block of flats in the city of Mykolayiv. Picture: Irina Wilson

Pictures of the city of Mykolayiv. Picture: Irina Wilson

It was at Bucharest Airport last Friday that Irina Wilson was finally united with her mum, who suffers with cancer, after what she described as a 'nightmare and terror'.

Mrs Wilson and her home are now safe in Weymouth, but the 72-year-old grandma has been informed by the Home Office her Adult Dependent Relative application has been rejected.

Alla Yuzhakova, with daughter Irina Wilson, 41

Her daughter Mrs Wilson said: "The Home Office has refused my mum's entry as a resident elderly dependant relative.

"It's so shocking and upsetting because we have submitted all the documents, made a £4,000 payment, which has put our family in debt and there was no reason for refusal.

"My mum was never refused anything before."

Luke Wilson with 72-year-old Alla Yuzhakova, and granddaughters Zarena, 15, and Audrey, four. Picture: Irina Wilson

Mrs Wilson said her family are speaking to the Home Office, which suggested Ukraine Family Scheme.

"We applied for her residency before the war started," she said.

"We have paid £4000 - which we borrowed."

Mrs Yuzhakova is retired and currently has a five-year family visit visa. The grandma of two comes twice a year and stays for three months at a time.

Last August she left for Ukraine after her visit to the UK and an Ukrainian doctor found a Lipoma on her shoulder. Without any tests they cut it out.

Mrs Wilson added: "Mum came for her next visit with us in October.

"Suddenly a lump on her shoulder appeared again, but this time it was stage three sarcoma cancer. Deadly if not removed immediately.

"They sent us to Royal Marsden Hospital in London. On December 22 last year, mum had surgery to remove the sarcoma and a reconstruction of her shoulder.

"We knew mum can't be on her own any more.

"We found out that because she isn't a resident of the UK she isn't entitled to free NHS treatment. The doctor who performed the surgery called the Royal Marsden finance department and said it was an emergency life-saving procedure and it shouldn't be charged.

"In February, we received a bill of £16,100.

"We are currently awaiting to hear from Marsden about this and see if it could free us from this bill.

"We suspect that the reason mum's residency application was refused is because she has an outstanding bill with NHS.

"When mum's sarcoma happened and she was with us in the UK there was no way we could send her back to Ukraine.

"There was no time, so we were told by Dr Skene (Royal Bournemouth Hospital) and Dr Hayes at Marsden."

Luke Wilson with 72-year-old Alla Yuzhakova, with her granddaughter Audrey, four. Picture: Irina Wilson

Mrs Wilson said her mum now has an enlarged gland under her right arm which is likely to turn cancerous.

She said: "We've been told to pursue residency so that can save mum's life, but one scan is charged at £1,000."

A Government spokesman said: "Last week we announced a new sponsorship route which will allow Ukrainians with no family ties to the UK to be sponsored to come to the UK.

"This is alongside our Ukraine Family Scheme, which has already seen thousands of people apply, as well as changes to visas so that people can stay in the UK safely.

"We're protecting appointments for Ukrainians at all our Visa Application Centres, with a 24/7 helpline in place and deployed additional staff across the EU to help speed up the process further.

"The routes we have put in place follow extensive engagement with Ukrainian partners. This is a rapidly moving and complex picture and as the situation develops we will continue to keep our support under constant review."