Questions over toxic water tests

A toxic chemical was tipped into the wrong tank at the Lowermoor works

A coroner and a former government minister have called for more research to be carried out on people who drank contaminated water 17 years ago.

It follows the results of a post mortem examination on 59-year-old Carole Cross which found abnormally high levels of aluminium in her brain.

She drank water in the Cornish town of Camelford which was contaminated with aluminium sulphate in 1988.

However Public health officials have said there is no cause for alarm.

Is it or is it not related? I want to know Dr Doug Cross, widower

They claim the health of people living in the area is generally good and people should not to jump to conclusions.

The West Somerset Coroner ordered the post mortem examination at the request of Mrs Cross's husband, Dr Doug Cross.

He said: "I asked for the post mortem to be carried out with the history of my wife and her exposure to this incident in mind.

"Is it or is it not related? I want to know. The particular type of condition my wife had is extremely rare and is quite frequently misdiagnosed.

"The results don't prove anything, but they are strongly indicative that there is a link."

Mrs Cross died from beta amyloid angiopathy, a form of cerebrovascular disease usually associated with Alzheimer's disease.

Previous official reports have given conflicting information

Prof Esiri, who carried out the post mortem, said she could not definitively link the death with the water poisoning, but it may well have contributed.

It is the strongest evidence yet of a possible link between the water poisoning and a disease similar to Alzheimer's.

Mrs Cross was living in Camelford at the time of the water poisoning, when the toxic aluminium sulphate was accidentally put into the wrong tank at the Lowermoor Treatment Works.

About 20,000 people were affected by the incident. Hundreds complained they became ill after the incident, citing a range of ailments, including chest pains, skin rashes, sickness, brain damage, memory loss and joint problems.

These are extremely exceptional circumstances Michael Meacher, former Environment Minister

In 1989 a government report stated there should be no long term effects from drinking the contaminated water. However, a second official report in 1991 said there could be unforeseen late consequences.

In January this year, another official report said it could find no conclusive link between the poisoning and people's illnesses.

The former Environment Minister Michael Meacher, who instigated the most recent Camelford inquiry, said he believed it may be necessary to carry out further post mortem examinations.

He told BBC News: "This is a very unusual and severe condition and the fact is there's at least seven or eight other deaths which could well be connected with the aluminium incident .

"There's another case submitted by Dr Doug Cross of a man who had 50 to 70 times the average blood aluminium level which took 14 weeks to return to normal.

"These are extremely exceptional circumstances."

Inquest adjourned

Mr Meacher said the levels were almost impossible to explain.

He said anyone who may have suffered unusual medical, physical or mental conditions should be examined and more post mortem examinations were extremely important in order to discover the full truth.

West Somerset Coroner, Michael Rose has adjourned the inquest on Mrs Cross until further research into the significance aluminium levels can be clarified.

The latest report into the Camelford poisoning by a committee under Professor Frank Woods is due to be published in the new year.

The Department of Health has declined to comment on the results of the post mortem examination on Mrs Cross