Woman says toxic smoke from waste plant explosion caused husband's death from cancer

A woman whose husband died of lung cancer 13 years ago after being exposed to smoke from explosions at a waste plant in Gloucestershire says she believes it caused his death.

Fire at Cleansing Service Group's (CSG) waste plant in Sandhurst, Gloucestershire, in October 2000 sent poisonous gas into the air.

Jayne Overthrow has told ITV News there are still questions about the health impact of the fumes on villagers from Sandhurst including those who were young children at the time.

The cause of the fire was never fully established, but a toxic combination of hazardous waste materials were found on the site.

CSG was ordered to pay a total of £650,000 in fines and costs after pleading guilty to 15 charges of breaching environmental safety laws.

Residents in nearby Sandhurst and Twigworth complained of sore throats, streaming eyes and breathing difficulties.

Mrs Overthrow blames the toxic fumes which drifted across her house for the death of her husband from lung cancer.

Mrs Overthrow says she is choosing to speak out now to help others who she worries may become ill because of the explosion.

Local GP Dr Duncan McNaire wrote a briefing note to the Parish Council in 2011 before his own death:

CSG says in a statement:

Gloucestershire County Council has also commented.

"In 2011, eleven years after the incident, the NHS states that its study had seen no increase in cancer registrations from residents being monitored."