A GROUP of youngsters visited Lancashire this week from the disaster-struck area of the Ukraine.

The trip was arranged by UK charity, Medicine and Chernobyl, which raises money to help victims of the 1986 nuclear power plant explosion.

Thirteen children and two interpreters travelled to Britain at the start of September to spend a month away in the hope of giving their immune systems a boost.

As part of the sight-seeing the group visited the Lancashire Police headquarters, Hutton, and watched a display at the dog training school.

DC Irene Hoban, of Lancashire Police, is a regular helper with the charity and this year is giving a 14-year-old orphan a home.

She said: "Many of these children were born near to the time of the disiaster and have inherited serious illnesses and deformity as a result of the radioactivity. The children are forced to eat contaminated food grown on the land to survive."

She added: "I first became aware of the charity and its work when my 16-year-old son came home from school asking me if we could be a host family. I attended a charity meeting and immediately wanted to help.

"This year we are hosting a 14-year-old boy from a Belarus orphanage. The children have visited a number of places during their stay, including Ewood Park on Saturday to watch the Blackburn Rovers match which they thoroughly enjoyed."

The Croston, Mawdesley and Eccleston branch of Medicine and Chernobyl which organised the trip, also raises funds to build hospitals and schools in Minsk and Belarus.