LIVE: Crowds gather in Piccadilly Gardens to send message of love, support and solidarity to Ukraine - latest updates

Hundreds of people will gather in Manchester city centre to send a message of love, support and solidarity to Ukraine.

Crowds are pitching up in Piccadilly Gardens ahead of the 'Manchester Stands With Ukraine' event this afternoon (Saturday).

The official start time is 2pm.

Last week, the gardens became a sea of blue and yellow as Ukrainian flags were held aloft.

READ MORE: Man stands on tank with Ukraine flag as thousands protest against Russia

Today's protest is organised by the Ukrainian Cultural Centre 'Dnipro' Manchester group.

Crowds began walking from the centre in Cheetham Hill at lunchtime.

Last week, Bohdan Ratycz, one of the organisers and director of the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain, told the Manchester Evening News it had been an 'extremely difficult' week.

"Our hearts go out to our families - whether they will survive or not survive," he said.

"Ukraine will rise again. It has done it in the past, it will do it in the future."

Earlier this month, hundreds of young Ukrainians turned out for a vigil in Manchester's St Peter's Square in the wake of the Russian invasion of their homeland.

They were joined by Man City left-back and Ukrainian international Oleksandr Zinchenko.

We'll bring you live updates from the protest below...

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A family-run retail chain with shops across Greater Manchester has pulled bottles of Russian vodka from its shelves.

Sasi Patel, his relatives and business partner Anil Velji own and manage Go Local Extra, which has two shops