TEN youngsters from the former Soviet Union are following doctors' orders by spending a month here.

The children, aged nine to 11, were born near the site of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in Belarus.

Ninety-nine per cent of the country is still contaminated by radiation and children there have a high chance of contracting cancer and leukaemia.

But doctors say a month in this country can boost their immune systems and extend their life expectancy.

The youngsters and their interpreter arrived at Manchester Airport on Sunday and are staying with families in Little Hulton, Walkden and Astley for a month.

Organiser Elaine Moore said: "By coming to the UK, eating and drinking uncontaminated food and water, living in a clean environment, breathing fresh, clean air and taking vitamins they will greatly boost their immune systems.

"It will build them up to face the severe winters in Belarus and extend their life expectancy by two years."

The trip was organised by the Peel Team Link, made up of people from St Paul Peel's and St John's churches in Little Hulton and St Paul's Church in Walkden. They raised £5,000 to pay for the air fares and excursion costs and teamed up with the charity, Chernobyl Children's Lifeline, which organises the trips.

Yesterday, the children were fitted with new shoes at Bolton town centre store Whitakers and also picked up donated clothes at St Paul Peel's Church.

During their stay, they will be taken to Chester Zoo, Camelot, Manchester United's ground, Salford Reds Rugby League Club and Prestatyn holiday camp. They also be given dental and medical check-ups.

The Chernobyl disaster happened in April 1986 and exposed the surrounding area to radioactivity 90 times greater than the Hiroshima bomb in the Second World War.