PREPARATIONS are well under way for this year's visit by a group of Chernobyl's children to the Ribble Valley.

Each year the Clitheroe group of the Friends of Chernobyl's Children raises around £10,000 to provide a month-long holiday for the youngsters from Belarus.

And a series of events, including a flag day and coffee morning on Saturday has helped boost the funds by over £1,000.

A party of around 20 children will arrive in Clitheroe for their stay from Monday June 10 to July 8.

Money raised on the day included £401.88 from the coffee morning, whilst the flag day amassed £895.73.

The next collection days will be at Tesco in Duck Street on Saturday June 8, prior to the children arriving, and at Booths supermarket in Station Road on August 23 and 24. Each year the Russian youngsters spend a month with the children of Chatburn School and medical opinion says that each month spent in the clean atmosphere of the Clitheroe area adds a full year to their life expectancy.

Anyone wanting further details of how to get involved in hosting a child from Chernobyl, or to help out in any way to raise the £10,000 needed each year to bring the children over, should contact Miles Leadbeater on 01200 425475, or write to him at 59 Fairfield Drive, Clitheroe, Lancashire BB7 1JP.