A mum of four is back home in Huddersfield after witnessing protests in the riot-torn city of Kiev.

But there is a little bit of Chrissy Eastwood which would rather have been in the city a little bit longer.

The photography student said: “It would have been a challenge to stay another day when the rioting really kicked in.

“But the sensible part of me, and all my family, are certainly glad I got out hours before the protests spilled over into terrible violence”.

Click on the gallery above to see pictures by Chrissy and other photographers of the dramatic scenes in Kiev

Police in the Ukrainian capital have launched a fresh attack on anti-government protesters as the death toll in renewed clashes has climbed to 26.

The new attempt to uproot the protest stronghold came as President Yanukovych blamed opposition leaders for the worst violence in months of unrest.

Russia has accused opposition protesters of trying to engineer a “violent takeover of power”.

Police launched their latest assault on Independence Square, also known as the Maidan, shortly after 4am today. Several tents were set ablaze, and water cannon was later used.

An anti-government protester runs during clashes with riot police in Kiev's Independence Square, the epicenter of the country's current unrest, Kiev, Ukraine, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2014

Mrs Eastwood, 54, of Linthwaite, flew to Kiev last Thursday to make a visit to the desolated city of Chernobyl.

She wanted to get images from the city as part of a photography degree course at Batley School of Art.

But the nine-hour journey to Kiev also brought her into the centre of escalating protests, with barricades in the streets and vehicles burning.

Mrs Eastwood, who began the course after seeing her four daughters grow up, also works part-time at the Marks & Spencer store in Waterloo.

“I had made all the arrangements to go to Chernobyl and got all my paperwork.

“But I was staying in Kiev very near to Independence Square and it was a really bizarre and tense situation.

“There were protest camps and tents set up everywhere and the protestors were gathering. I thought at first they were from the Army but it turns out it was the protestors who were wearing uniforms and helmets.

A masked protester wears a stab vest as tensions rise in Kiev, witnessed by photographer Chrissy Eastwood

“They were filling bags with snow to build barricades and it was so cold they immediately froze. I gave a scarf and gloves to one protestor and he gave me a rubber bullet in return

“There were also fires burning everywhere and vehicles being set on fire and piled on to the barricades.

“It was mainly young people. They were happy to chat and they told me they wanted change.

“Many of the older people were angry; they are more used to the Communist ways and wanted things leaving as they were.

“I spoke to many protestors and never felt threatened but I must admit it is a relief to be home.

“A part of me would have loved to capture some of the protest but it is terrible.”

Chrissy’s photos from Chernobyl will form part of an exhibition tied in to her degree course in July.

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