HOMES in the Forest are among hundreds of homes across Gloucestershire have been found to have high levels of the radioactive gas radon.

Last autumn, Public Health England (PHE) invited about 18,000 households across Gloucestershire to apply for a free test for radon, a naturally-occurring gas present in all homes.

Radon cannot be seen, smelt or tasted and for most people it is the largest single part of their annual radiation exposure.

Each year radon is believed to lead to over 1,000 lung cancer deaths in the UK.

In Forest of Dean the highest level measured to date is over 30 times greater than the “action level”, the point at which PHE recommends exposure should be reduced.

More than 7,200 households took up the free radon test offer and PHE sent out kits which were placed in homes and returned for analysis after three months. Most householders have now been sent their test results.

PHE, together with staff from the local councils and the Building Research Establishment, are staging drop-in events for householders wanting more information about reducing radon.

The team will be at Clearwell Memorial Hall in High Street, next Wednesday and Thursday (September 23 and 24) between 10am and 7.30pm on Wednesday and 10am and 5.30pm on Thursday.

Neil McColl, head of radon at PHE’s Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, said: “Whenever we run testing programmes we find a small number of properties with unusually high readings. What all of these results have shown us once again is that if you are in a radon affected area in Gloucestershire you should get your home tested – if you haven’t already done so.

“If your home is shown to have high levels of radon, you can then take practical steps to reduce your exposure and minimise your risk.”