MoD experts to visit radioactive Dalgety Bay beach

Officials from the MoD will visit Dalgety Bay in Fife later to explain what they plan to do about radioactive particles found on the beach there.

The radiation is thought to be linked to the remains of World War II aircraft buried in the area.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) has given the MoD until the end of February to devise a plan to make the beach safe.

If no plan emerges Sepa will declare the land contaminated.

Over the past few months more than 200 radioactive particles have been found and part of the shore was cordoned off in October for further investigation.

Dalgety Bay hosted a wartime airfield, where many aircraft were dismantled.

They were used as landfill and it is thought erosion has led to radioactive radium from the aircraft dials leaking onto the foreshore.

After a meeting between Sepa, the MoD and members of the local community in November, Sepa said it wanted a full draft of the MoD's plan for the site by the end of January, with a final set of plans by the end of February.

"If that isn't forthcoming, Sepa will continue with its progress to designate the land as contaminated by the end of March," a spokesman said.

If Sepa did declare the area as "Radioactive Contaminated Land", it is understood this would be the first time it has happened in the UK.

Chairman of Dalgety Bay and Hillend Community Council Colin McPhail said this was the last thing residents wanted.

He told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme: "It's a requirement certainly and responsibility of the Ministry of Defence on a voluntary basis to come up, to solve this problem and carry out remedial works and solve it once and for all - and that should be this year."

MoD representatives also met with Sepa, the Scottish government and members of the Dalgety Bay Forum in November, describing the talks as "constructive".