TEN children, whose lives have been blighted by nuclear disaster, travelled to Leigh for their best- ever Christmas.

For the first time the victims of Chernobyl -- seven of whom are from orphanages in Belarus, part of the former Soviet Union -- saw Christmas decorations and had presents to open.

When the poverty-stricken children arrived on December 19 at Gatwick Airport with an interpreter, for an 18 day visit courtesy of the Medicine for Chernobyl Culcheth Group , all their belongings fitted onto just one trolley.

The trip to Journaland was organised so the youngsters can receive a bit of warmth and kindness in their otherwise bleak lives.

Leigh couple and group members John and Barbara Priestman have two girls, Svieta, 13, and Leela, 11, staying with them at the Cavendish Street home.

Barbara, 52, said: "They are all suffering from the effects of radiation. It effects their immune system. They get bad chests and colds as all children do -- but in their case it is more likely to develop into pneumonia or something like that because they have less immunity.

"Medically it has been proven that if they spend time out of the radiation it can improve their health."

Among the treats the children will have is a cinema trip to see the film Harry Potter and the Philospher's Stone and a visit to Blackpool Tower for the Christmas circus.

Barbara told how the children were "wide-eyed" and somewhat "overwhelmed" by all the decorations and and admitted watching them open presents on Christmas Day was "wonderful."

She said: "The girls are my Christmas present. It was fantastic watching them open presents. They have been a bit overwhelmed and wide-eyed by it all -- the Christmas decorations, the supermarkets, everything."

The children are from Belarus, an area badly contaminated by the world's worst nuclear disaster in Chernobyl in 1986.

Barbara explained that because of the way the wind was blowing most of the fall-out from the disaster was blown on to Belarus where there is great poverty. The average worker's wage is just nine dollars a month -- while the price of an apple, for example, is 40 pence.

This is the sixth visit the Ukrainian children have made to Leigh.

Svieta has been visiting Barbara every year since she was eight and has become fluent in English -- with a Leigh accent. In Belarus, the teenager lives with relatives as her mum died in childbirth and her father is an alcoholic.

Barbara said: "Last year she spent two months at Bedford High School. She's like our own child. She fitted in very well at school because she could speak English and she made friends."

She added that they would like Svieta with them all the time but they cannot adopt her as the process would take seven years and the people of Belarus frown on children being adopted in other countries -- even though conditions are so harsh.

The other girl staying with Barbara, Leela, is from an orphanage and speaks little English.

Last April Barbara, who has two grown-up daughters, visited Belarus where she saw some heart-breaking sights.

She saw orphanages full of children who had been living on the streets and hospitals were there were no pain killing drugs for people dying from leukaemia and cancer.

About 20 people are involved with the Medicine for Chernobyl Culcheth Group and over the years the group has raised £35,000.

Barbara said: "When the children go home on January 6 they will be taking a case full of presents, clothes, shoes and vitamins back with them."

She added that she would like to thank Teresa and John Eckersley for bringing round bags of presents for the children.

Mrs Teresa Eckersley is grateful to Asda, Boots, Cannings, Ethel Austin, Timms Chemist, Woolworths and family and friends for their gifts, help and donations for the children of Belarus.

St Joseph's Parish has also made up gift bags for the children.