WILTSHIRE TIMES EXCLUSIVE: AN AID worker held captive at gunpoint by eastern European cops has spoken of his ordeal.

Armed guards told Adrian Walker, of Hawkeridge Road, Westbury, they would shoot him if he tried to escape during five hours of questioning in a Belarus jail.

The 52-year-old charity worker is founder of Chernobyl Children In Need and was visiting Belarus to help distribute lorryloads of food, medicine and vital supplies to hospitals, schools and orphanages.

But after being caught with five counterfeit $100 bills mistakenly given to him by a west Wiltshire bank in August he was hauled away for questioning by armed police.

This week bank bosses agreed to contact Belarus authorities to clear Mr Walker and Chernobyl Children In Need.

As part of an agreement with Mr Walker, the name of the bank and his travel firm has been withheld.

Mr Walker said: "We went to a bank to change the US dollars into roubles as we always do when we arrive in Belarus.

"Suddenly there was a policeman standing next to me with a machine gun saying I had handed over a false $100 bill.

"I asked him to check the rest of the money I had on me because I was worried I could get stopped again. They found four more fake bills. I was then taken to the police station."

Police first feared the aid worker might have connections with Russian Mafia who are renowned for peddling fake notes.

Belarus authorities soon discovered the counterfeit dollars had been made in the former Soviet republic of Georgia and after making inquiries about his aid work and background he was freed.

He said: "My interpreter told me the police were asking each other whether they should shoot me if I tried to escape. I think they were just trying to play good cop, bad cop.

"It's a completely different culture over there. You are presumed guilty until you can prove your innocent.

"But the police were just doing their job and once they realised I wasn't a criminal they let me go.

"This hasn't put me off going back. I love the culture and the people and the villages we support really need our help."

Mr Walker was arrested with his Belarussian driver and his female interpreter, who have also now been exonerated.

When news broke in Belarus that an English charity worker had been arrested his ordeal made headlines in the country's television and national press.

But villagers who had benefited from the work Mr Walker had put into delivering valuable supplies shielded him from attention.

Arriving back in England Mr Walker immediately contacted the bank that supplied the dud notes to clear the charity's name.

This week the bank finally agreed to send verification of the mistake to officials in the former Soviet Union.

A spokesman for the bank said: "The matter is between ourselves and Mr Walker and we do not feel it is appropriate for us to comment on the matter.

"The situation with Mr Walker has now been amicably resolved."

Mr Walker has warned people exchanging cash for dollars to always ask for brand new notes, even when picking up money in the UK, to avoid similar ordeals.

Chernobyl Children In Need has been sending supplies to the village of Ozarichi since 1999.

The region was devastated by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster 16 years ago leaving many people with leukaemia and radiation poisoning.