Truro declared UK's most radioactive gas hotspot as warning is issued

Truro tops the list of the UK's most radioactive gas hotspots, according to new data. The Cornwall city's radon levels are much higher than anywhere else in the country, coming in at 70 per cent.

Plymouth is in second place, with 29 per cent. While every building in the country contains Radon, it is much higher in the South West and experts are advising residents to have a test done to check how safe your home is.

The radioactive gas needs special equipment to detect as we cannot see, smell or taste it. Radon comes from the rocks and soil found everywhere in the UK.

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The radon level in the air we breathe outside is very low but can be higher inside buildings, the Daily Star reports. There are certain parts of the UK where the levels are higher than they should be, with warnings now issued as Truro leads a new "hotspot" list.

Certain areas of the UK have been identified as having higher than acceptable levels, prompting urgent warnings. A study by Go Compare Home Insurance placed Plymouth and Northampton alongside Truro in the top three hotspots. No other area of Cornwall features in the top ten.

The research, which utilised data from the UK's Health and Security Agency, identified these areas as having the most postcode districts where homes are most likely (a 30 per cent or greater chance) to exceed the government's action level for radon.

At this stage, it is advised that radon levels in homes should be reduced. South West England features three times in the top five, indicating particularly high radon levels in this region. Exposure to high levels of radon can impact health and is believed to be one of the main causes of lung cancer.

Rebecca Coates, who leads radon projects at PropertECO Ltd, has urged: "I strongly recommend that everyone living in a designated radon-affected area tests their home as it is the only way to know what level of radon you and your family are being exposed to.

"The cost of a home radon test is approximately equivalent to having an MOT done on your car, which we all do every year to ensure it is safe to drive. Most of us spend a lot longer in our homes than in our cars, so it should be a no-brainer to check that our homes are safe and if the results are low, it's likely you won't need to test again for 10 years."

The top ten locations most affected by radon include:.

Truro - 70 per cent.

Plymouth - 29 per cent.

Northampton - 26 per cent.

Torquay - 21 per cent.

Bath - 16 per cent.

Lancaster - nine per cent.

Sheffield - five per cent.

Derby - five per cent.

Gloucester - four per cent.

Peterborough - three per cent.

For further details on the study and insights into how aware people are about radon risks, head over to Go. Compare.