The number of visas issued to Ukrainian people who have applied to come to East Anglia has been revealed in new figures.

Statistics released by the Home Office say that 739 visas have been issued to Ukrainian refugees to travel and settle in the region as of April 19, as part of the homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme set up by the government.

The figures show how many visas have been issued across the 309 local authorities in England.

The scheme is for visa applications from Ukrainians who wish to travel to the UK and who have named people in the UK willing to sponsor them.

In our region, West Suffolk, which includes Brandon, Bury St Edmunds, and Newmarket, has issued 145 visas, the most in our area, and ranked 55 in the country.

For every 10,000 people in West Suffolk, there are eight Ukrainians which is ranked the 52nd in England.

Others include 112 visas in South Norfolk, 56 in Norwich, and 46 in Breckland.

Across the whole of East Anglia, the average number of Ukrainians per 10,000 people is five.

62 visas have been issued in North Norfolk, which also averaged the third-highest number of refugees per 10,000 people in our area, with 5.9.

A government spokesman said: "The changes the Home Office has made to streamline the visa system, including simplifying the forms and boosting staff numbers, are working and we are now processing visas as quickly as they come in - enabling thousands more Ukrainians to come through our uncapped routes."

Across the UK, there have been 107,200 Ukraine Scheme visa applications received, of which 41,200 are under the Ukraine Family Scheme and 65,900 under the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme.

Total visas issued include 71,800, of which 32,500 are under the Ukraine Family Scheme and 39,300 under the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme.

As of April 18, there have been 15,000 arrivals via the Ukraine Family Scheme and 6,600 via the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme.

Refugees have begun arriving in our country, and communities have responded, such as the opening of Dereham's Ukraine support hub in April.

These numbers do not contain the numbers of visas issued through the Ukraine Family Scheme.