Ash from volcano in Iceland falls on Britain, prompting health warning

Volcanic ash from the Icelandic eruption is falling across the UK, with health authorities warning the fine dust particles could pose a risk to people with breathing difficulties. The Met Office said fine sulphurous ash from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano had been detected at its monitoring stations in northern England, the Midlands and the Thames Valley and there were reports of it reaching the ground. Ash has fallen as far south as Swindon, Brize Norton, Kent and the west London suburb of Chiswick, with a thin layer also observed at monitoring stations near Peterborough, Leeds and Stoke on Trent. "We're not expecting many major problems from it but whatever is up in the sky will have to come down," said Graeme Leitch of the Met Office. Ash fell had earlier fallen across the Shetland Islands and residents reported sore throats after venturing outside. A coastguard rescue helicopter had to mount a risky mission to ferry a seriously ill patient from the Out Skerries islands to hospital in Lerwick through the ash cloud. The helicopter returned coated in the fine glass-like dust. The World Health Organisation has warned people living under the plume to stay indoors if ash starts falling. The particles could enter the lungs and cause respiratory problems, said a spokesman, and people going outside might consider wearing a mask. The WHO could not fully predict the health risks, he said. The UK Health Protection Agency said people may suffer from itchy or irritated eyes, a runny nose, sore throat or dry cough and anyone noticing a dusty haze in the air or the smell of rotten eggs should return indoors. The British Lung Foundation said the ash did not pose a significant risk to human health. But its spokesman, Professor Malcolm Green, said those with existing respiratory conditions such as chronic bronchitis, emphysema or asthma should keep their inhalers or medications to hand "as they may experience a short term worsening of symptoms". A Met Office commissioned research flight over the North Sea detected three distinct layers of ash in the atmosphere, from fine particles at low levels to large particles at about 2,400 metres (8,000ft).