'Anthrax bomb' answers demanded

There have been concerns about water quality in the Burry estuary.

An MP is demanding reassurances that nothing remains of an anthrax bomb tested in a south Wales estuary during World War II.

Llanelli MP Nia Griffith made the call after it emerged the weapon was dropped off the town's coastline.

There have been concerns about water quality and the death of cockles in the Burry estuary.

The Ministry of Defence said there was no contamination following the experiment in 1942.

The trial to test the biological weapon emerged in an article written by Llanelli historian Gerald Grant.

Ms Griffith has now written to the MoD asking for further details.

"We know there was a lot of research going on during the war into germ warfare and we know this was an area that may have been used," she said.

The MP for Llanelli, Nia Griffith, has written to the Ministry of Defence

"Obviously all of that is top secret and they will have to look through a fair number of documents to give us the answers we want.

"We we really need to know is clarification - what did happen, what were they handling and what were the consequences and was everything cleaned up?"

Local councillor Hubert Hitchman said there had been long-standing rumours anthrax weapons had been tested in the estuary between Llanelli and Gower.

"To test it so near populated areas is ridiculous," he added.

A spokesman for the MoD said: "The Gower coast was often used for munition testing during WWII.

"However, a bacterial weapon was only tested once, in 1942, when a 30lb bomb charge with anthrax spore was dropped from a Blenheim aircraft at 5000 feet.

"There was no residual contamination of the site as it was washed by the incoming tide. No other biological weapons trial was done at Penclawdd and no other species of bacteria were used."