The Nuclear Decommissioning Agency is being called to urgently accelerate its work at Sellafied.

The SDLP has made the call following reports of abandoned nuclear waste storage ponds posing an immediate risk to public safety.

SDLP MP for South Down Margaret Ritchie said she was shocked to see images from the Sellafield nuclear plant which show the appalling conditions that nuclear fuel storage ponds are currently in.

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She said: "These ponds contain hundreds of tonnes of fuel rods and irradiated water and yet cracked concrete tanks are clearly visible along with local birdlife swimming in the area.

"If an accident occurs, causing these ponds to drain, there will be a serious threat of fuel igniting upon contact with air resulting in the dispersal of huge amounts of irradiated material across a wide area.

"The SDLP has argued for years that proper decommissioning and cleanup of the Sellafield plant and proper safety standards were not adhered to, putting the public at risk. It is imperative that the Nuclear Decommissioning Agency takes urgent action to accelerate its programme of work and has to deal with ongoing accidental discharges of nuclear waste at the site to make it safe."

(CD/IT)