TWO young victims of the Chernobyl disaster who made a lasting impression on families in Settle are to visit them once again next month.

Jane and Barry Ward, of Riversdale, Giggleswick, have paid for seven-year-old Alexander Makavich, of Belarus,which is 50 miles from Chernobyl, to come and stay with them for another month.

Alexander, who is known as Sasha, last visited the Wards in February with the help of The Settle Friends of Chernobyl's Children. The charity made it possible for 10 children to visit this country, with the expenses paid for by fundraising activities.

But such a bond was formed between the family and young Sasha that the Wards decided to pay for him to visit them again on July 12.

Another couple, Dierdre and Ernie Cokell, of Falcon Close, Settle, have also arranged for seven-year-old Vyacheslav Plesnyor, known as Slava, to come and stay with them on July 9.

Both boys will travel to Britain with another group of children who will be staying with families in the Lancashire towns of Blackburn and Clitheroe.

It has been predicted that these four week visits to Britain could extend the youngsters' lives by a year.

Their homeland will suffer from the effects of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster of 1986 for the next 24,000 years, and any break from the polluted water, food, animals and milk will do the children good.

Mrs Ward said they were planning to take Sasha to the seaside during his visit.

She added: "When Sasha was here last time, he looked round the bedroom on the morning he was going and said, 'me come back' and now he'll be able to."

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