CHILDREN blighted by radiation from the Chernobyl disaster have been given free toys and clothes by supporters.
Children from Belarus visited the Chernobyl Children's Project UK shop, in Crook, which supports youngsters affected by the 1986 incident.
The youngsters are enjoying a three-week holiday in the North-East as guests of the Chernobyl Children's Project UK's Teesdale group.
A small group of Belarussian children with their mothers visits the area each year for a recuperation holiday, and visit the Hope Street store to collect donated toys and clothes.
Ian Findlay, co-ordinator of the Teesdale group, said: "The children really do benefit from the trip and there is an improvement in just three weeks.
"We normally have six children and their mothers ona trip, but this time there are only four families.
"The Chernobyl disaster was in 1986 and yet these kids are only six years old and they have illnesses from it, so it shows the problem that we have."
Visit chernobyl-children.org.uk for further details about the charity.
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