Latest news with #ToxicTown
ITV News
11-07-2025
- Health
- ITV News
Corby whistleblower says toxic waste dumped at five sites as fears mount over wider contamination
Some families in Corby have told ITV News they are worried about the public health risk this poses. Report by ITV News' Amy Lewis and Catherine Dinneny Words by Robbie Boyd A former contractor who loaded waste onto lorries from Corby's former steelworks has claimed that toxic material was knowingly dumped around the town. Despite the local council acknowledging just one official dumping ground in Corby, a whistleblower who worked clearing the steelworks site has claimed there were 'at least four or five hotspots in Corby' where toxic waste was dumped. Some families in Corby have told ITV News they are worried about the public health risk this poses, fearing the number of people affected by the industrial pollution could be far bigger than previously thought. Lawyer Des Collins, who led the 2009 High Court case linking industrial pollution in Corby to birth defects, has written to North Northamptonshire Council demanding that it publish a full list of contaminated sites amid concerns that waste caused wider health issues. He is now urging the government to launch a public inquiry, a move backed by two local MPs. The contractor, who asked to remain anonymous, worked loading lorries with toxic material. 'Everyone knew the waste was going to where it shouldn't be going,' he said, 'it was contaminated waste, and it should have been going to the contaminated tip.' Corby, once a thriving steel town in Northamptonshire, was left with one of Europe's largest industrial clean-up operations after the industry collapsed in the 1980s. Over the following decade, waste from the former steelworks was dug up and moved across the town in open-top lorries, spreading toxic dust through the air and across the community. In 2009, 18 families in Corby won a landmark High Court case linking airborne exposure to birth defects in children. But some residents believe that the health risks extend well beyond that original group and contamination may still be affecting people. The renewed campaign for answers comes after the release of Netflix drama Toxic Town, which revisited the 2009 court case. Eight-year-old Fraser was diagnosed with an extremely rare form of blood cancer at just 17 months old. His parents say his condition is so rare, it doesn't even have a name. Andrew and Alison believe their son's battle with cancer may have been entirely avoidable, caused by toxic waste improperly disposed of in the local area. They say they began noticing other children from Corby on the same cancer wards during Fraser's treatment. 'I'd be on the ward going, 'oh my goodness I know them',' Alison told ITV News, 'We'd approach nurses and they'd say 'there are so many families from Corby that are on here.'' 'It's become the norm in Corby,' added father Andrew, 'more than just a rarity.' Mr Collins, who represented the original families in 2009, has now formally written to the local council demanding greater transparency over, and a full inquiry from the government. 'We're going to ask the council to tell us exactly where this stuff is buried, and if they don't know, why don't they know?' he said. 'It was only a small proportion that became airborne as it moved across the town; the remaining 99% of it probably went into landfill.' Mr Collins believes the toxic material is still causing health problems for those in the community, saying, 'if they didn't know how to dig it up and they didn't know how to move it, they possibly didn't know how to bury it.' Two local MPs, Lee Barron and Rosie Whiting, have now joined calls for a public inquiry. Labour MP for Corby and East Northamptonshire, Lee Baron, told ITV that childhood cancer in the area 'needs to be looked into.' 'It's only right and proper that those with the answers start to come to the fore,' he said. 'They deserve that at least.' The contractor who loaded the lorries says he doesn't believe anyone involved acted with malice, stating that workers simply didn't understand the risks. 'I don't think anyone had the forethought of what damage would occur in later years,' he said. When asked why he didn't raise concerns with managers at the time, he said, 'you're going back to the 1990s. It was a different world. You put up, shut up, and got on with it.' North Northamptonshire Council said they are exploring child cancer rates in the area after recently being 'approached by some residents who have concerns around childhood cancers in Corby.' 'It should be possible to describe rates of childhood cancer diagnoses over a period of time for children resident in Corby, and to give an indication of whether this is in line with what would be expected. It is, though, important to note that if any variation was identified, this analysis would not be able to identify the cause of that variation.' 'In 2001, officers from the former Corby Borough Council carried out a review of all sites that could be identified as potentially contaminated land.' 'Gas and water sampling takes place on a yearly basis as part of the requirements of the permit,' they said.
STV News
11-07-2025
- Health
- STV News
Whistleblower says toxic waste area bigger than just Corby
Some families in Corby have told ITV News they are worried about the public health risk this poses. Report by ITV News' Amy Lewis and Catherine Dinneny A former contractor who loaded waste onto lorries from Corby's former steelworks has claimed that toxic material was knowingly dumped around the town. Despite the local council acknowledging just one official dumping ground in Corby, a whistleblower who worked clearing the steelworks site has claimed there were 'at least four or five hotspots in Corby' where toxic waste was dumped. Some families in Corby have told ITV News they are worried about the public health risk this poses, fearing the number of people affected by the industrial pollution could be far bigger than previously thought. Lawyer Des Collins, who led the 2009 High Court case linking industrial pollution in Corby to birth defects, has written to North Northamptonshire Council demanding that it publish a full list of contaminated sites amid concerns that waste caused wider health issues. He is now urging the government to launch a public inquiry, a move backed by two local MPs. The contractor, who asked to remain anonymous, worked loading lorries with toxic material. 'Everyone knew the waste was going to where it shouldn't be going,' he said, 'it was contaminated waste, and it should have been going to the contaminated tip.' Corby, once a thriving steel town in Northamptonshire, was left with one of Europe's largest industrial clean-up operations after the industry collapsed in the 1980s. Over the following decade, waste from the former steelworks was dug up and moved across the town in open-top lorries, spreading toxic dust through the air and across the community. In 2009, 18 families in Corby won a landmark High Court case linking airborne exposure to birth defects in children. But some residents believe that the health risks extend well beyond that original group and contamination may still be affecting people. The renewed campaign for answers comes after the release of Netflix drama Toxic Town, which revisited the 2009 court case. Eight-year-old Fraser was diagnosed with an extremely rare form of blood cancer at just 17 months old. / Credit: ITV News Eight-year-old Fraser was diagnosed with an extremely rare form of blood cancer at just 17 months old. His parents say his condition is so rare, it doesn't even have a name. Andrew and Alison believe their son's battle with cancer may have been entirely avoidable, caused by toxic waste improperly disposed of in the local area. They say they began noticing other children from Corby on the same cancer wards during Fraser's treatment. 'I'd be on the ward going, 'oh my goodness I know them',' Alison told ITV News, 'We'd approach nurses and they'd say 'there are so many families from Corby that are on here.'' 'It's become the norm in Corby,' added father Andrew, 'more than just a rarity.' Mr Collins, who represented the original families in 2009, has now formally written to the local council demanding greater transparency over, and a full inquiry from the government. 'We're going to ask the council to tell us exactly where this stuff is buried, and if they don't know, why don't they know?' he said. 'It was only a small proportion that became airborne as it moved across the town; the remaining 99% of it probably went into landfill.' Lawyer Des Collins, who led the 2009 High Court case linking industrial pollution in Corby to birth defects. / Credit: ITV News Mr Collins believes the toxic material is still causing health problems for those in the community, saying, 'if they didn't know how to dig it up and they didn't know how to move it, they possibly didn't know how to bury it.' Two local MPs, Lee Barron and Rosie Whiting, have now joined calls for a public inquiry. Labour MP for Corby and East Northamptonshire, Lee Baron, told ITV that childhood cancer in the area 'needs to be looked into.' 'It's only right and proper that those with the answers start to come to the fore,' he said. 'They deserve that at least.' The contractor who loaded the lorries says he doesn't believe anyone involved acted with malice, stating that workers simply didn't understand the risks. 'I don't think anyone had the forethought of what damage would occur in later years,' he said. When asked why he didn't raise concerns with managers at the time, he said, 'you're going back to the 1990s. It was a different world. You put up, shut up, and got on with it.' North Northamptonshire Council said they are exploring child cancer rates in the area after recently being 'approached by some residents who have concerns around childhood cancers in Corby.' 'It should be possible to describe rates of childhood cancer diagnoses over a period of time for children resident in Corby, and to give an indication of whether this is in line with what would be expected. It is, though, important to note that if any variation was identified, this analysis would not be able to identify the cause of that variation.' 'In 2001, officers from the former Corby Borough Council carried out a review of all sites that could be identified as potentially contaminated land.' 'Gas and water sampling takes place on a yearly basis as part of the requirements of the permit,' they said. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
ITV News
11-07-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
Lawyer who represented families in toxic waste scandal calls for public inquiry
The lawyer representing the families in the Corby toxic waste scandal is joining MPs in Corby and Kettering in their calls for a public inquiry into what happened. The scandal involved a series of birth defects in children born to mothers living near the former steelworks in Corby. Following the closure of the steelworks in the 1980s, the area was redeveloped and millions of tonnes of toxic waste were moved, often in open lorries. Now the town's two labour MPs Lee Barron who represents Corby and Rosie Wrighting, who is the MP for Kettering are backing the call for a government inquiry. Des Collins, senior partner at Collins Solictors, is the lawyer who represented the families in the 2009 high court case. He along with Lee Barron MP and Rosie Wrighting MP have sent a letter to North Northamptonshire council demanding they reveal where they got rid of the waste. 'Tell us where this stuff is buried' Des said: "We think the majority of the waste was put into landfill, the suggestion being made at the moment is they didn't know to bury the waste properly. "We are going to ask the council against the background of the 2009 judgement to tell us exactly where this stuff is buried and if they don't know, why they don't know. 'I think Corby has been badly let down' "There should be a public inquiry into Corby because that's something we believed should be addressed by government, because it doesn't stand up to scrutiny that they know stuff was moved and moved badly. "The way to sort this out is for the council to say this is how it's buried, this is where it's buried, this is testing we have done to show that there is nothing wrong here but this is not what they are doing." What did the high court case find? The case which involved 18 families, conclusively showed that the birth defects seen in children and babies living in the town was because of airborne waste. It also found that Corby Borough Council did not dispose of the waste correctly and that they were negligent in managing it. It also established that the material had been in the ground and that the waste could cause embryonic birth defects. Toxic Town The scandal has been brought more into public attention through the Netflix show Toxic Town which tells the stories of a group of mothers who joined together to fight for justice. The drama centres around three of the mothers at the centre of the scandal who fought for justice after their children were born with birth defects. Most of the children were born with missing fingers or toes - a phenomenon referred to at the time as "Corby Hand" - and some of the babies died. Des said: "Around 30 or 40 families have come to us since Toxic Town with concerns about birth defects such as leukaemia."
Express Tribune
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
'Black Mirror' creators Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones leave Netflix-backed Broke & Bones
Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones, the creators of Black Mirror, have stepped down as directors of their Netflix-backed production company Broke & Bones. The pair left the company five years after establishing it in 2020, when Netflix invested in Broke & Bones in a structured $100 million deal. The initial agreement between Netflix and Broke & Bones, which allowed the former to secure exclusive content from Brooker and Jones, has now reached the end of its five-year term. Netflix has not provided a comment on the exit of Brooker and Jones. Despite their departure from Broke & Bones, the future of Black Mirror remains stable, with the streaming platform reportedly committed to the series beyond its seventh season. Black Mirror Season 7 premiered in April 2025 and is expected to be in contention for Emmy nominations in September, with performances from Paul Giamatti and Rashida Jones among those anticipated for recognition. Brooker has previously shared with the BBC that he intends to continue writing Black Mirror, describing it as a 'fun job' and highlighting how the rapid development of technology continues to inspire new storylines. Broke & Bones, beyond its work on Black Mirror, has produced series including Toxic Town, which focuses on a community's fight for justice after toxic waste exposure, and Cunk On…, the BBC co-produced comedy starring Diane Morgan. The company has also produced Death To…, a satirical mockumentary series reflecting on major events of the year.
Leader Live
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
Jodie Whittaker and Jason Watkins to join BBC's Dear England cast
Whittaker, known for her portrayal of the Doctor in BBC's Doctor Who and her role in Netflix's Toxic Town, is set to join the series as Pippa Grange, the England men's team's psychologist. Jason Watkins, who won a Bafta for his lead role in The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies and is known for his role in The Crown, has also been announced to play former FA chairman Greg Dyke. They will be joined by The Bay star Daniel Ryan who is set to play Steve Holland, former assistant manager for the England men's team. The series, which will air on BBC iPlayer and BBC One in 2026, is an adaptation of James Graham's Oliver-winning play Dear England, a fictionalised account of Sir Gareth Southgate's time as the England football manager. The Handmaid's Tale star Fiennes, who was widely acclaimed for his turn as Southgate in the stage production, will reprise his role for the BBC series. The plot follows the story of the struggles and successes of England's football teams, based on extensive research and four-part series will be written by Graham, directed by the play's director Rupert Goold and produced by Left Bank Pictures, the company behind Netflix juggernaut The Crown. Dear England had a sell-out run at the National Theatre before it transferred to the West End in 2023, securing best new play at the Olivier Awards last year. Writer and executive producer James Graham said: 'Bringing the national game to the National Theatre over two years ago was one of the most rewarding moments of my writing life. 'Getting to tell this inspiring story of Gareth's quiet revolution, and its themes of redemption, resilience, kindness and compassion in sport. 'To kick off its journey on screen now, and on our national broadcaster, is a huge opportunity and I'm so grateful to (the) world-class cast and creative team we've assembled.' The play will soon take to the road for a 16-venue tour across England, kicking off in Plymouth on September 15, with stops in major cities including Newcastle, Liverpool and Birmingham, until the tour comes to a close on March 14 2026.
