By Lars Niven

THE SCOTTISH Environment Protection Agency is to remove material from a beach in west Fife to check for radioactivity, it was confirmed yesterday.

Luminous dials from aircraft are thought to have caused the contamination at Dalgety Bay after they were dumped there following the war.

Now SEPA has agreed to spend £50,000 to find out just how bad the problem is and whether the radioactive material presents a health risk.

It also emerged more radioactive items have been found at the Fife headland than on a beach near Dounreay.

It is thought around 90 items were found at Dalgety Bay, some more active than others.

SEPA said it was a different kind of radioactivity to that found near Dounreay.

NHS Fife moved to reassure people the risks are very low.

It said there was no need to restrict access, but advised anyone handling material from the beach to wash their hands afterwards.

Fife Council’s east area manager Roy Stewart said, “We welcome the proposals following today’s meeting which are a positive step forward for the area and are pleased SEPA are taking the initiative on this issue.”

Mr Stewart added that proposals, including warning signs, would be discussed at a community council meeting later this week.

The Scottish Green Party last night called for the Ministry of Defence to accept full responsibility for the situation and compensate the community and SEPA.

Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, said, “Radioactivity is one of the worst forms of pollution because it stays in our environment for so long, creating a legacy of expensive clean-ups and danger to public health.

“We need to pay greater attention to the environmental record of the MoD.”