Chernobyl's infamous nuclear reactor is now covered by steel and concrete, but 18 years on from the catastrophe, cracks appearing on that facade spark fear in the hearts of survivors. Experts in Ukraine say the fissures are in need of urgent repair. A radiation reading taken near to the now disused plant is 100 times higher than normal. Ukrainians still bear the scars of the disaster. More than two million people including 450 000 children are suffering illnesses linked to radiation. Thyroid cancer is one of the most common sicknesses, experts fear there could be up to 50,000 new cases in the next decade. Many others suffer blood cancers, mental disorders and cancerous growths. In the early hours of this morning an ever-dwindling group of survivors marked the moment at 01.23 am on the 26th April 1986 when reactor number four exploded. It will take more than 50 years to dismantle the plant. In the meantime many inhabitants hope authorities will honour a pledge to re-entomb the reactor completely, so that they can finally start to put their years of bitter suffering behind them.