Calls for urgent talks over Shropshire border wood firm's dust

Councillors say they also want assurances that sawdust stacks at the factory on the Shropshire border are safe, in the aftermath of the explosion at a wood company in Bosley, Cheshire.

They also want to know how the public can contact the area's environmental health department to report problems.

Several members of Chirk Town Council told a meeting this week that they had had complaints from residents about dust falling on the Welsh border town, smells and irritations such as watering eyes.

The council has regular environmental liaison meetings with Kronospan which makes multi density fibreboard and employs about 600 people.

But council chairman, Councillor Dewi Evans, said that the last meeting had been in March, when the councillors had been assured that environmental problems would be sorted out in a matter of weeks.

"That was March and the problems are getting worse," Councillor Evans said. "We must call for another meeting urgently."

Councillor Jackie Allen said: "I am concerned that, after the explosion in Cheshire, we need to have assurances from Kronospan that it monitors its dust stacks. A lot of people have been in touch about dust issues and running eyes from formaldehyde."

Councillor Brian Colley said people in Chirk also needed to know where to contact at Wrexham Borough Council if they had environmental problems.

The council agreed to contact Kronospan and Wrexham County Borough Council.