Coatbridge fun day for Chernobyl Children

Visit 'like a trip to Disneyland' for youngsters

IT was fun in the sun in Coatbridge today, as the town's Fire Station welcomed a group of children affected by the Chernobyl disaster.

During their visit, the children  were put through their paces;  running hoses, using the water jets, watching the Aerial Rescue Pump in action and, of course, testing that appliance lights, sirens and horns were in perfect working order.

The children, aged between 7 and 11, are in the country thanks to the Friends of Chernobyl's Children Charity and staying with host families for a month. They come from areas of Belarus badly affected by the nuclear plant disaster 25 years ago.

Crew Commander Ross MacPherson, who organised the visit, said: "The stories of these children are heartbreaking- they come from villages which are in the Chernobyl exclusion zone and, at times, the best they can look forward to is one meal a day.

"Giving them a fun day, where they can try out running the hoses, splash around with the jets and generally be carefree kids for a few hours is the least Strathclyde Fire & Rescue can do."

Kenny Turnbull, co-ordinator of Friends of Chernobyl's Children, added: "The kids had an absolutely brilliant day,  this is like going to Disneyland for them. While in Scotland, they get medical, dental and optical check-ups and  enjoy the love and attention of their host family. Outings like this just make their time in Scotland truly special."