Germ war scientists spread nuclear 'virus'

Military scientists sprayed radioactive plumes across populated swathes of Berkshire and the outskirts of London in a series of secret trials, it was revealed today.

Government scientists seeking to develop defences against biological weapons conducted tests using radioactive gas and a chemical to mimic the effect of germ warfare.

Scientists disseminated clouds of radio-xenon and zinc cadmium sulphide from the automatic research establishment at Harwell, Oxfordshire, for two hours each on four days in 1961.

Samplers mounted on trucks were driven in arcs up to 45 miles away from Harwell to track the clouds.

On two days the clouds travelled over Reading and Bracknell in Berkshire towards Guildford in Surrey.

Another day the plume blew east and slightly north over Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire. On one day scientists were unable to locate it.

A report of the trials obtained by the BBC during an investigation states: "It was originally intended that the further sampling station would be located about 80km (50 miles) downwind of the source but this would have meant sampling within London. "It was, therefore, thought desirable to locate the position on the western perimeter of London."

The trials were part of 250 conducted by scientists from the chemical and biological warfare establishment at Porton Down, Wiltshire, from the 1950s and 1970s.

Fearing a Soviet attack, they dispersed germ warfare simulants over populated areas to track how real clouds of lethal germs would lay waste to the country.

Nuclear expert John Large said the radio-xenon was unlikely to be harmful but would have come from nuclear reactors and would have been contaminated with more harmful materials.