CHILDREN affected by the Chernobyl disaster are in Flintshire as part of a scheme to help decontaminate their bodies.

The scheme, running for 31 years, is organised by Chernobyl Children's Lifeline Chester, Deeside and Ellesmere Port Link.

It sees children from southern Belarus travel to Flintshire for a four week stay, in which they enjoy a host of attractions including visits to Chester Zoo, Gulliver's World and a day with the fire service.

The children were also greeted with goodie bags filled with clothes and essentials at the beginning of their trip, as well as free opticians and dental appointments.

Children in southern Belarus still feel the effects of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986.

One of the main purposes of the trip is for the children's bodies to undergo a period of radiation decontamination.

A four week period of eating food and drinking water not contaminated by radiation decontaminates the children's bodies for two years.

Jeanette Jones, chair of Chernobyl Children's Lifeline Chester, Deeside and Ellesmere Port Link, explained: "We get the children over here at the time they're hitting puberty, this is because it's at the time the body is undergoing the most changes and so is most vulnerable to contracting cancer.

"Children in southern Belarus are particularly at risk of contracting thyroid cancer because of their exposure to radiation with their close proximity to the Chernobyl site.

"Being here for four weeks flushes out contamination through natural bodily waste, and keeps children decontaminated for two years."

Jeanette knows only too well the importance of the scheme, with recent deaths of children who have previously stayed in Flintshire.

"A little girl we had over last year died recently, and one of the our other children's mother has also died from thyroid cancer."

Another form of cancer children in that area are at risk of is kidney cancer, with many children not able to drink sufficient amounts of water because so much of the water supply is contaminated.

The children will remain in Flintshire until June 29.