Parts of north-east blighted by poor air quality

Two parts of the north-east have been found to have poor levels of air quality following tests.

According to Durham County Council, Chester-le-Street and Barnard Castle were discovered to have high levels of pollution considering they are not urban areas, the Teesdale Mercury reports.

The authority has launched an Air Quality Management Area in Durham city amid fears that volumes of gases such as nitrogen dioxide were too high.

While completing the process of air monitoring, councillors found the two rural areas to have worrying levels of pollutants in the air.

However, the revelation has surprised council representatives, who have questioned the accuracy of the results.

"I struggle to see Barnard Castle having the same issue with pollution as cities. Maybe it was recorded on a hot summer's day," councillor Richard Bell told the publication.

The local authority has suggested that it continues to focus specifically on levels of nitrogen dioxide in the Durham area, as this gas was highlighted as a particular problem.

Posted by Lauren Steadman