Ukraine has won the Eurovision Song Contest in a huge show of support from the rest of the continent following Russia’s invasion of the country.

Performing their folk-rap song Stefania, Kalush Orchestra stormed up the leader board, beating off strong competition from the UK and Italy.

The group were out on the streets fighting off Russian aggressors just weeks before taking to the stage in Turin – instead of rehearsing for the biggest performance of their lives.

Ukraine had been widely tipped to take the title and on the night there had been a huge cross-European swell of support for the war-torn country. Almost all entrants sported Ukrainian flags as well as their own on the night.

After their performance they made an impassioned plea to free people still trapped in the besieged Mariupol steel mill.

Hundreds of millions across Europe tuned in for one of the world’s most-watched TV events, with a song about Meghan Markle and a track called Give That Wolf A Banana among the 25 finalists.