Clean-up hope for nerve gas base

Nancekuke was closed in 1980

Campaigners are hoping for a clean-up to be ordered at a redundant nerve gas plant in west Cornwall.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) was due to make an announcement on the future of the form chemical research establishment at Nancekuke, near Portreath, on Tuesday.

The MP for Falmouth and Camborne, Candy Atherton, says dumped chemicals and equipment pose a long-term threat to the environment.

There has been no indication about whether the announcement will refer to claims that former Nancekuke workers have suffered health problems.

Doctors have said I am still suffering from the effect of nerve-gas contamination and will do so for life

Tom Griffiths, former worker

Ms Atherton said: "I am hoping that the MoD will announce a clean-up of the five major 'barrows' that contain a number of chemicals, and also a long-term clean-up of the whole site.

"If it isn't done there will be problems.

"I don't think the way people cleaned up chemicals just a few years ago was anything like as stringent as the rules we have today."

The MP has also been pressing ministers to conduct an inquiry in allegations that nerve gas leaked from the base, affecting workers' health.

She has claimed that 41 deaths were recorded over a period of 19 years, with more than 300 cases of bronchial and respiratory problems reported.

The base supplied the nerve gas sarin

Nancekuke was used by the MoD to supply the nerve gas sarin to the defence research establishment at Porton Down, Wiltshire.

Production of nerve gas at Nancekuke was thought to have ended in the mid-1960s.

The base was closed in 1980 and became RAF Portreath.

The MoD responded that a 1970 report showed no health threat.

Local mortality rates among workers were lower than the national average, it said.

During a Commons debate last year, Ms Atherton cited the case of a constituent, Tom Griffiths, of Illogan.

Swimmers' claims

She said he suffered ill-health from an accident at the base in 1958.

This week Mr Griffiths told BBC Radio Cornwall: "For 10 years, different doctors have said I am still suffering from the effect of nerve-gas contamination and will do so for life.

"The MoD refuses to accept that."

Two men claim discharges from Nancekuke caused their long-term health problems, after they swam in the sea at Trevone, near Padstow, in 1975.