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| Air pollution: High levels 'to spread across England and Wales' | Air pollution: High levels 'to spread across England and Wales' |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| High levels of air pollution which have been affecting parts of England are set to get worse and spread, experts say. | High levels of air pollution which have been affecting parts of England are set to get worse and spread, experts say. |
| Environment department Defra says "high" or "very high" levels have been recorded in the past 24 hours mainly in the East of England and the Midlands. | Environment department Defra says "high" or "very high" levels have been recorded in the past 24 hours mainly in the East of England and the Midlands. |
| It expects the pollution - linked to sandstorms in the Sahara - to spread across England and Wales on Wednesday. | It expects the pollution - linked to sandstorms in the Sahara - to spread across England and Wales on Wednesday. |
| Defra says air pollution can cause respiratory problems and people with heart or lung disease are most at risk. | Defra says air pollution can cause respiratory problems and people with heart or lung disease are most at risk. |
| Rain particles | Rain particles |
| Andrew Sibley, specialist forecaster for the Met Office, said: "Conditions are going to get worse again as we go through Wednesday and the rest of the week." | Andrew Sibley, specialist forecaster for the Met Office, said: "Conditions are going to get worse again as we go through Wednesday and the rest of the week." |
| He said that a south-easterly wind would bring with it yet more pollution from Europe, and further compound the situation in the UK. | He said that a south-easterly wind would bring with it yet more pollution from Europe, and further compound the situation in the UK. |
| Mr Sibley said that dust and sand particles from the Saharan desert could easily get swept up by high winds and carried thousands of miles across the globe. | Mr Sibley said that dust and sand particles from the Saharan desert could easily get swept up by high winds and carried thousands of miles across the globe. |
| "The dust gets caught by rain particles and that's how it ends up being visible on the ground," he said. | "The dust gets caught by rain particles and that's how it ends up being visible on the ground," he said. |
| A Defra spokeswoman said: "The high level of air pollution this week is due to a combination of local emissions, light winds, pollution from the continent and dust blown over from the Sahara. | A Defra spokeswoman said: "The high level of air pollution this week is due to a combination of local emissions, light winds, pollution from the continent and dust blown over from the Sahara. |
| "We want to keep improving air quality and have introduced a new five-day forecast service in addition to investing heavily in local and transport initiatives to tackle this issue head-on." | "We want to keep improving air quality and have introduced a new five-day forecast service in addition to investing heavily in local and transport initiatives to tackle this issue head-on." |
| It is warning of "high" or "very high" air pollution levels across much of England and Wales. | It is warning of "high" or "very high" air pollution levels across much of England and Wales. |
| And the high levels of pollution are expected to continue across East Anglia and the Midlands on Thursday. | And the high levels of pollution are expected to continue across East Anglia and the Midlands on Thursday. |
| But the pollution is expected to ebb away by Friday. | But the pollution is expected to ebb away by Friday. |
| Have you experienced the effects of air pollution? Have you seen evidence of Saharan dust and sand particles where you live? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with 'pollution' in the subject. | |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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