WARRINGTON has been named and shamed by the World Health Organisation for breaching air pollution safety levels.

The town is one of 40 places in Britain and Ireland that has breached the WHO's safe levels PM2.5, which are particles of things like smoke, soot, dirt and dust found in the air.

Around 40,000 people a year in the UK die early as a result of air pollution, and Warrington was named alongside Wigan, Manchester, Liverpool, Salford and Birkenhead as parts of the north west who have unsafe levels.

Cllr Judith Guthrie, executive board member for environment and public protection, said the most areas of Warrington did meet standards.

She said: “The vast majority of the town complies with the current air quality standards – we are not complacent and we know that, in common with most other towns and cities, air pollution levels can be high within a few metres of busy roads.

“Research has also highlighted the effects of levels of ultra-fine particulates which are formed from national, regional and local sources of pollution.

“We are monitoring the impacts of air pollution through the national Public Health Outcomes Framework and developing local options to manage air quality with the Transport Research Laboratory.”

Cllr Maureen McLaughlin, executive board member for public health and wellbeing, urged residents to consider alternative transportation to their cars as a way of tackling the problem.

She said: “Warrington Borough Council takes its responsibility for the health and wellbeing of its residents extremely seriously.

“We remain determined to tackle the causes of ill health in the borough and that includes air pollution – to this end we have a comprehensive network of sampling sites which form part of a national monitoring programme.

“The choice of active travel options contributes directly to people’s health and wellbeing and options such as walking and cycling can improve health while helping to reduce air pollution at the same time.”