IT was a bad enough disaster in 1986 when the explosion and subsequent meltdown of the reactive core of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant caused the immediate deaths of 31 people.

In the attempt to put out the fire and encase what was left of the reactor in concrete, a further 270 people lost their lives in the north Ukraine. At the time even those of us not wholly convinced of the long-term merits of nuclear generated electric power could hardly have believed that the accident would still be killing people nearly 20 years later.

But every year, in the shape of scores of afflicted children visiting this area, we are reminded of the human consequences of treating such awful power recklessly. The legacy of the disaster will be with us into the next century even though we have only just begun this one.

The crippling problems faced by these children are manifold. Firstly, there is the terrible effects of living in such a contaminated area. Secondly, there is the added problem of poverty in the Ukraine, which has suffered economic meltdown since the break-up of the Soviet Union.

But unlike the overwhelming and seemingly insurmountable problems faced by much of the Third World - particularly in the continent of Africa - helping the children blighted by the Chernobyl disaster can be a relatively basic exercise. Simply bringing them over to Wharfedale for a few weeks of uncontaminated food can increase their life expectancy by up to two years.

The Chernobyl Children's Project is a charity with straightforward ideals and a practical strategy for achieving those ideals. It deserves all the support it can get from those not directly involved. Tomorrow's fashion show at Ilkley Tennis Club should be a spectacular success.