A PURPLE glow will light up key points along the Menai Strait from tomorrow as part of an international campaign to highlight worldwide efforts to eradicate a life threatening disease.

Sites, including Caernarfon Castle, Pontio, Bangor University, Bangor Cathedral and Beaumaris Castle plus many waterside hotels, businesses and homes will be floodlit purple from Monday, October 22 until Friday, October 26.

The campaign, by Bangor Rotary Club, is to publicise Rotary International's long-standing efforts to eradicate Polio. Rotary clubs around the globe have been working to implement international immunisation programmes for the past 30 years.

The aim is to completely eradicate the disease which still kills or disables people, especially children. Polio used to be endemic in Britain in the 50’s until the development of immunisations which wiped out the disease.

The Rotary’s worldwide efforts have been so successful that there are now only a few countries where

Polio is still endemic - Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan.

To highlight the need for a "last push" for ultimate wordwide eradication, Bangor Rotary Club is publicising its “End Polio Now’ campaign with the event and local people are invited to get involved by lighting up their homes and businesses.

Pontio, arts and entertainment centre in Bangor, is joining in, turning a vivid purple on Wednesday October 24, on World Polio Day. A giant information display will be projected onto the walls.

Information sites, staffed by Rotarians, will also be in place at Pontio on the October 24, and at Bangor

Cathedral, Caernarfon Castle and Beaumaris Castle areas throughout the week.

Our Lady’s RC Primary School in Bangor has also planned a ‘no uniform day’ with the proceeds being donated to the cause.

The Gazelle Hotel on the Strait has also agreed to join in and has already practised lighting up ready for the big week.

A spokesperson for the Bangor Rotary club said: "The colour purple celebrates the campaign’s signature colour, which represents the purple indelible ink into which immunised children dip their little finger into to show they have received the necessary dosage."

Donations can also be made towards this vital immunisation programme - and each pound pays for five children to receive the life-saving serum.

For more information contact: Bangor Rotary Club secretary on 07544 177740 or ebost/email: secretarybangor@gmail.com. New members of the Rotary Club are also welcome.

To make a donation, text BRPP18 followed by £1, £2, £3, £4, £5 or £10 to 70070” (JustTextGiving by Vodafone).

Also visit Facebook – Purple4polio Light up the Straits Or www.endpolio.org