A GROUP of bobbies are aiming to raise £25,000 to help fund a mission to improve a holiday camp for children affected by the Chernobyl disaster.

PC Martin Walker, 42, from Preston will be leading a party of 35 friends and family in September, including four other officers from the city, to Myaki in Ukraine to build an extension and disabled facilities at the Black Sea camp.

But before that they have the task of raising cash to pay for the trip and building equipment for the camp run by the Preston-based charity, International Aid Trust.

Martin has already received £5,500 worth of donations and equipment. In April Martin and his team will be doing an 11-mile sponsored canoe trip on Lake Windermere. The four other PCs from Preston who are involved are Sonja Karlson, Simon Ashcroft, Barry Jackson, and John McCartney.

The group will be spending 17 days of their own time to travel to and from the Ukraine and will spend 11 days doing building work.

Martin said: "These holiday camps really make all the difference to the lives of the children living out there. Many are second generation victims of the Chernobyl disaster and have horrendous deformities, so getting some disabled facilities in there is very important."

It will be Martin's third visit to the Ukraine. And after the journey Martin will be taking 12 months off from charity work to spend more time with his wife Sue and two teenagers aged 14 and 12.

Contact International Aid Trust on 01772 611000 if you are interested in making any type of donation.