World Health Organisation wrongly names Port Talbot one of the 'most polluted areas in the UK'

Pollution levels in Port Talbot were nearly 50% lower than those first published by WHO Credit: PA

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has apologised after wrongly naming Port Talbot as the 'most polluted area of the UK.'

In a letter to Neath Port Talbot council, the organisation admitted there was a 'oversight' in the air pollution figures which they published. The initial publication said Port Talbot had pollution levels of 18 micrograms per cubic metre but the figures should have only been half that.

The council said in a tweet that the mistake had led to the town being 'widely derided'

The report suggested the town, along with dozens of other areas in the UK, suffered from unsafe levels of pollution.

MP for Aberavon Stephen Kinnock branded the mistake outrageous.

WHO said they regretted the error and have taken immediate steps to rectify it on their website and on their pollution database.