BENZENE FAMILIES GET NEW HOUSES

John Watts outside his Muirfield Close home. John and his family are soon to be re-housed.

TWO couples from Leftwich who lost their toddlers to a rare form of leukaemia are to be relocated from their homes.

Rebecca Watts and Sharon Pymer, who lived just yards from each other in Muirfield Close and Greenlaw Close, died of acute myeloid leukaemia, which is extremely rare.

Now the families - who are both expecting new babies - are to be moved from the estate along with two other families in a similar position.

Investigators trying to see if there is an environmental or chemical link between the deaths have discovered the presence of benzene at a baby's height in the garden of the Watts family

John Watts, Rebecca's father, said: "They are trying to make out there is nothing to worry about.

"I find it strange that we have been trying to get rehoused for ages. Just six weeks ago they weren't interested - now when benzene has been found in my garden, they are moving us.

"If there is no concern why are they rehousing us?"

Other residents on the estate are not happy and want to be moved immediately.

Greg Morris, who chairs the residents' group, which liaises with the investigators said: "What happens to the rest of us?

"We appreciate there are special cases but do we have to wait now until somebody else dies before we are moved?"

Dr Alex Stewart, of the Health Protection Agency, said the families were being relocated on compassionate and humanitarian grounds.

He said: "I cannot emphasise enough that we are not making this recommendation because we have to date found any significant risk to health.

"It is purely out of compassion for these families and to remove any stress and anxiety they may feel over the welfare of their expected babies whilst our investigation continues."