A Halton sonographer is offering handicapped children in Halton a holiday of a lifetime. Reporter IAN CHEVEAU talks to the ex-pat on his personal conquest of making disadvantaged children happy.

A WIDNES medic who works in a Canary Islands hospital is returning to the borough in the hope of raising enough money to send Halton's handicapped youngsters on a holiday of a lifetime.

Rex Mallett, formerly of Peelhouse Lane, pioneered a handicapped youth project which involves taking down syndrome and handicapped children on breaks to provide respite for parents.

Since Mr Mallett started his quest to give disadvantaged children a better standard of life more than 10 years ago he has provided care, food, drink and accommodation for hundreds of children from different parts of the globe - but he says he has never been approached by handicapped children in Widnes and Runcorn.

Mr Mallett, who claims his project is largest handicapped youth program in the world, now wants to put this right through the Weekly News .

He said: 'I find it very surprising that my colleagues and I have children from all over England and Scotland but never received requests for this type of child from the Widnes and Runcorn area, and being born in the area I do want people to know about the project I organise.'

To make this a reality for handicapped children in Halton Mr Mallett will be holding a osteoporosis screening at the Halton Stadium for those who are affected by the debilitating disease.

Mr Mallett, who is also a member of 15 medical organisations across Europe, added: 'I am currently working as a sonographer in the International Hospital in the Canary Isles and have been here some time now working entirely in this field together with orthopaedic consultants.

'The testing that I specialise in has the aim of making people aware of the disease, osteoporosis. It is referred to as the 'silent dis-ease' as it is asymptotic.

'There is so much that can be done for people, particularly women, as this disease is one of the easiest to treat if found early, and conversely a lady with a broken hip usually has a life expectancy of about two years, and those that survive are usually house bound.'

Mr Mallett will be charging a fee of £15 to patients who want to visit him at his screening in Widnes.

He added: 'I am always happy to return to the UK at my own expense for this purpose sure in the knowledge that all finance raised will go entirely to the handicapped children's holiday and that all working with me will do the same, meaning there is no finance whatsoever swallowed by any expenses or administration.'

The campaign to help handicapped children began 15 years ago after Mr Mallett witnessed a shocking act of ignorance by a woman who was dining in a restaurant and it was this tale that made his charity group Lions roar into action.

Mr Mallett said: 'A couple with a Down syndrome daughter were sat on the table opposite me in the restaurant when I began to chat to their daughter.

'We were getting on fine but when the young child dropped her fork twice. I distinctly heard this abomination of a woman say 'Why do they allow anybody to bring that type of person into a civilised restaurant?'

'The mother of the child heard it and told her husband to pay the bill and took the child out, but not before she had chance to give me a wave. I went after them and the mother was in tears and said to me 'I am so sorry. It is the first time we have been out together. Please apologise to your wife.'

'I assured her I was not from that table and tried to get them back for the meal but they were too upset.'

Mr Mallett kept in touch with the family in Penketh and when he visited the family he was told that because their daughter, Alice, had reached the age of 16 there was no further education for her and she was really left totally in her moth-er's continual care.

Not content on just paying visits to the family, Mr Mallett decided to get the Lions involved and he soon united Alice with a girl and family who was battling through similar incidents.

The Lions soon recruited eight handicapped children and weeks later the Tenerife Lions International Disabled Children's Charity was formed. Now Mr Mallett and his colleagues give parents the chance to spend time together while their children enjoy holidays and long weekends away with the Lions.

Mr Mallett said: 'Tenerife Lions each year bring from England about 120 handicapped children of all categories, particularly Down and cerebral palsy victims, for a two-week holiday of a lifetime on the island and this is funded by the Tenerife Lions.

'In return there will be some 48 sexually abused children from the Canary Isles coming to Pontin's holiday camp in Blackpool on September 3 for a week.

'If people can come along to the screening and pay the fee which will go to the Lions then we can finally provide respite for parents and give children from both Halton and the Canary Islands a holiday.'

Mr Mallett's first screening takes place at the Halton Stadium on Mondayfrom 9am-5pm. He also has a private number from which calls are transferred to him by the hospital at the cost of a local call from England. For an appointment, call 01925 813652.