Children from Chernobyl arrived yesterday for a month-long visit. In the background are Tanya Vaskaya, interpreter, and Rod Brehaut, chairman of the Chernobyl Children Life Line Guernsey Link. (Picture by Adrian Miller, 0590335)

FOURTEEN children from Chernobyl arrived in Guernsey yesterday for a month-long stay. The children, six boys and eight girls, most aged around 10 or 11, were split into pairs and two groups of three and taken to the homes of their host families.

Rod Brehaut, chairman of the Chernobyl Children Life Line Guernsey Link for the past 15 years, said the children could look forward to an activity-packed month.

‘One of the main changes for the children during their stay is their health. They have their eyes and teeth checked and they are fed lots of healthy food so their immune system is often much better at the end of their stay,’ said Mr Brehaut.

‘The benefits to their health are quite long lasting and they have a lot of fun while they are here.’