Two Didcot women were among volunteers who helped refurbish a children's hospital in part of the former Soviet Union still ravaged by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

Ruth Rothery and Drusilla Kenney, both of North Bush Furlong, took part in a 3,000-mile round trip to the Belarus village of Osipovichi with the charity Medicine and Chernobyl Belarus Aid.

As founder-chairman of the Didcot branch of Medicine and Chernobyl UK, mother-of-two Mrs Rothery has previously helped provide holidays in south Oxfordshire for children suffering the after-effects of the power station's radioactive fallout 15 years ago.

The two women thought they already had an appreciation of the living conditions imposed by radioactive contamination and poverty.

But the reality was drastically different from what they were expecting, said Mrs Rothery, who described the abject poverty of the country as a life-changing experience.

An artist and art tutor, Mrs Rothery supervised the redecoration of 14 wards as well as designing murals.

Working from dawn to dusk, the two women spent a week in Osipovichi with more than 30 volunteers from Britain, who also installed improvements such as lavatories, hot water and showers.

Fortunately, she said, the hospital was temporarily closed -- "or the emotional distress of working among the children in the wretched conditions would have only added to our stress of getting the work completed in a very limited time span."

But she said their welcome was overwhelming and she was looking forward to possibly returning next year.

Mrs Rothery and Mrs Kenney, who was formerly vice chairman of the Didcot branch of Medicine and Chernobyl, were sponsored for their air fares and food by Didcot Rotary Clubs and Abingdon Vesper Rotary Club. The Didcot branch is now raising funds to host more children from Belarus for a four-week break in Oxfordshire next year.