TEN little survivors who escaped the horrors of the Beslan school siege have enjoyed a taste of Christmas in Hampshire.

The group, including a boy who risked his life to fetch water for a suffering friend, paid a visit to Paultons Park's winter wonderland yesterday as part of their month-long stay in the UK.

It was a magical visit during which the atrocity that claimed 300 lives in September seemed a world away.

About 30 armed Chechen separatists held more than 1,000 children and adults at Beslan's No 1 School in Russia's North Ossetia region on the first day of term.

The siege ended in bloodshed after two days. Half the victims were children.

Survivor Malik Kalchakeev, 13, became known around the globe as the face of a campaign to fundraise for siege victims as he hugged classmate Otari Pilishvili following their escape.

His friend Alan Kochiev miraculously survived after Malik smuggled a bottle of water back into the school gym from the toilets.

"I couldn't bear looking and seeing a friend of mine looking so bad and being so thirsty," he told the Daily Echo through an interpreter.

"But every step I took I was aware that terrorists could come and kill me as they had killed so many other adults and children."

Yesterday, Malik and six other boys and three girls, all aged between 11 and 13, spent the morning at the Ower theme park before receiving a present from Father Christmas in the afternoon.

Paultons Park spokesman Rob Griffiths said: "We obviously wanted to help in any way we could.

"We hope to put a smile on these children's faces and we want them to go back to Russian telling their parents that they've had a great time."

The youngsters, who are in Hampshire on a trip organised by the charity that normally runs holidays for Chernobyl children, will also visit Butlins, the London Palladium, Marwell Zoo and the Watercress Line during their stay.