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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 2 hours later) | |
| People in many parts of England and Wales should be braced for "very high" levels of air pollution on Wednesday, the government has said. | People in many parts of England and Wales should be braced for "very high" levels of air pollution on Wednesday, the government has said. |
| Environment department Defra said high levels recorded on Tuesday in eastern England and the Midlands would spread. | Environment department Defra said high levels recorded on Tuesday in eastern England and the Midlands would spread. |
| The pollution - a mix of local and European emissions and dust from the Sahara - is set to move across southern England, the Midlands, and south Wales. | |
| Those with lung or heart disease are urged to avoid strong exercise outside. | Those with lung or heart disease are urged to avoid strong exercise outside. |
| Sore eyes and cough | Sore eyes and cough |
| Defra has a 10-point scale for measuring air quality - with 1 meaning there is a "low" risk of air pollution and 10 warning of "very high" levels. | Defra has a 10-point scale for measuring air quality - with 1 meaning there is a "low" risk of air pollution and 10 warning of "very high" levels. |
| Levels hit the maximum of 10 in north-west Norfolk on Tuesday. | Levels hit the maximum of 10 in north-west Norfolk on Tuesday. |
| Readings for Wednesday are expected to reach 8 or 9 in much of southern England, the Midlands, and southern Wales, and possibly 10 along England's southern coast. | Readings for Wednesday are expected to reach 8 or 9 in much of southern England, the Midlands, and southern Wales, and possibly 10 along England's southern coast. |
| Advice on the department's website states that for high levels of pollution: "Adults and children with lung problems, and adults with heart problems, should reduce strenuous physical exertion, particularly outdoors, and particularly if they experience symptoms. | Advice on the department's website states that for high levels of pollution: "Adults and children with lung problems, and adults with heart problems, should reduce strenuous physical exertion, particularly outdoors, and particularly if they experience symptoms. |
| "People with asthma may find they need to use their reliever inhaler more often. Older people should also reduce physical exertion." | "People with asthma may find they need to use their reliever inhaler more often. Older people should also reduce physical exertion." |
| It adds that "anyone experiencing discomfort such as sore eyes, cough or sore throat should consider reducing activity, particularly outdoors". | It adds that "anyone experiencing discomfort such as sore eyes, cough or sore throat should consider reducing activity, particularly outdoors". |
| 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. |
| 'Caught by rain' | 'Caught by rain' |
| 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." |
| Northern Ireland and Scotland will see low air pollution on Wednesday, with isolated moderate levels possible in urban and other areas. | Northern Ireland and Scotland will see low air pollution on Wednesday, with isolated moderate levels possible in urban and other areas. |
| High levels of pollution are expected to continue across East Anglia and the Midlands on Thursday. But they are expected to drop by Friday. | High levels of pollution are expected to continue across East Anglia and the Midlands on Thursday. But they are expected to drop by Friday. |
| The BBC's environment correspondent Roger Harrabin said the episode could bring further attention to the government's long-term struggle to reduce air pollution. | The BBC's environment correspondent Roger Harrabin said the episode could bring further attention to the government's long-term struggle to reduce air pollution. |
| The EU has launched legal proceedings against the UK for failing to reduce "excessive" levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) air pollution - mostly from traffic - after 15 years of warnings, he added. | The EU has launched legal proceedings against the UK for failing to reduce "excessive" levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) air pollution - mostly from traffic - after 15 years of warnings, he added. |
| 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. | 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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