CHILDREN still living under the shadow of the Chernobyl disaster enjoyed lunch at Little Sutton Methodist Church for the eleventh year running.
The church has hosted the event for children affected by the nuclear catastrophe in 1986 for the last 11 years.
This year there were 18 children – 12 girls and six boys – aged from nine-11, from villages around Stolin in Belarus, along with two leaders Luda and Maria.
The children entertained their hosts after lunch with a small concert of singing and playing the piano.
They also went into the church for a tour.
Bringing children to England is said to boost the children’s immune systems for at least two years, helping them to resist or recover from serious illness.
In the summer, when the dust causes radiation levels to rise, it is important for as many children as possible to leave their contaminated homeland for a few weeks of fresh air and clean food.
It can also significantly reduce the amount of radioactive caesium which has built up in a child’s body.
Belarus received more than 70 per cent of the radioactive fallout from the explosion and as a result thousands born every year are affected or go on to develop thyroid cancer, bone cancer and leukaemia.
The children are staying on the Wirral, and enjoyed a lunch of various sandwiches and crisps, bananas, ice cream and wafers before going to visit The Blue Planet Aquarium.
The children will be taking home gifts of stationery, balloons, and paper windmills and will also take clothes, vegetable seeds and other gifts donated by The Wirral Methodist Circuit Churches.
