A GOOD Samaritan who jets hundreds of disabled children to Tenerife for dream holidays has invited Chester youngsters to get in touch.

Rex Mallett, originally from Hoole, has offered 20 children from Chester the chance to enjoy a free luxury two-week holiday in the Canary Island resort.

Mr Mallet, an ultrasound specialist now living on the island, has dedicated the past 15 years to arranging activity breaks for youngsters with Down's Syndrome.

For the past 10 years Rex and fellow expat members of the Lions Club have flown UK youngsters to the resort to enjoy activities including sight-seeing and swimming.

But today Rex revealed he has yet to accommodate a child from the city of his birth.

He said: 'We have helped children from the Midlands, Manchester, Liverpool, Scotland and Huddersfield, but never from Chester. I don't know why.

'This year I want to take about 20 children from the area.

'The children sight-see and generally have a very good time.We have helpers looking after them 24-hours a day.'

About 120 Down's Syndrome sufferers will fly to Tenerife in May. They will stay in Costa Mar, a luxury apartment complex loaned by a member of the Lions Club, and will be taken on excursions across the island by 50 volunteers.

Project organisers predict the cost of staging the holiday will exceed £50,000.

Mr Mallett, a sonographer at Hospital Speraico in Los Christianos will fly back to the UK next month to hold a screening day to raise funds for the project.

He will carry out an osteoporosis screening at All Saints Church, Vicarage Road, Hoole, from 9am-5pm on February 22.

The 73-year-old told The Chronicle he was moved to undertake charity work for Down's Syndrome after he witnessed an act of cruelty in a restaurant 15-years-ago.

He said: 'A couple arrived at the restaurant and the woman started to complain about everything.

'A young couple arrived with child who had Down's Syndrome.

'They started their meal and the child dropped her fork.

'I heard the woman say 'Why do they allow anybody to bring that type of person into a civilised restaurant?'.'

'The mother of the child took her out - she was in tears.

'I spoke to them and found they had moved to the area, but knew no-one.

'I was told because their daughter had reached 16 there was no further education available to her and she was left in her mother's care.

'I was sure I could help. I found another child similar to their daughter, and soon they were friends.

'Soon I had found eight of these youngsters and with the Lions took them to North Wales on for weekends to give their parents respite care.

'When I moved to Tenerife I questioned whether we could get these youngsters to the island, and then it all started.' n For information on the May excursion, the Tenerife Lions International Disabled Children's Charity, or the osteoporosis screening day, ring 01925 813652.