Chernobyl in the world spotlight

Wednesday 26th April 2006, 12:00AM BST.

MORE than 130 children from the Chernobyl region have benefited from holidays in the Island since the disaster at the nuclear plant in the Ukraine 20 years ago today.

The world was stunned when an experiment at the Chernobyl nuclear power station led to two explosions blowing the top off the reactor building.

A fire burned for several days, blowing deadly radio activity into the nearby area.

Twenty years on, radiation levels there have hardly changed and many children have health problems from the accident which happened before they were born.

Trips to Jersey by Belarussian children with their teachers have been organised since 1994 by the Jersey link of the charity Chernobyl Children Life Line.

The charity is due to host another visit by 15 children from the stricken region between 21 May and 18 June.

Anyone interested in supporting the charity should contact Mrs Meiklejohn on 840800.

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