Local environmental group Ealing Friends of the Earth found alarming levels of air pollution across Ealing at during a recent event.

Ealing Friends of the Earth equipped their stall at Hanwell Carnival last Saturday with a large cardboard meter scale on which to display readings from a portable air quality monitor. A spokesperson for the group said:

"We made the cardboard display scale go up to 30 which we thought would be more than enough since that's six times the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline. But while most readings were between 20 and 30, we got peaks of well over 50 – way off the scale."

"We were measuring PM2.5 - particulate matter of 2.5 micrometres or less in diameter. The WHO guideline states that annual average concentrations of PM2.5 should not exceed 5 µg/m3. PM2.5 is a dangerous pollutant because it can penetrate the lung barrier and enter the blood system, causing cardiovascular and respiratory disease and cancers."

The spokesperson added: ""This is not some local effect at the carnival. We got similar high readings elsewhere in Ealing Borough, even in quiet back streets. London-wide pollution monitoring websites also reported very high PM2.5" "Only staying indoors with the windows shut would have reduced your exposure somewhat.

"Ealing Friends of the Earth emphasise that when it comes to protecting our health and that of our children, it's no use waiting until we're sick.

"The time to act is now, by listening to the advice of doctors and of medical charities like Asthma and Lung UK, and supporting measures to clean up London's toxic air, such as the ULEZ. For further information see their website and the UK Friends of the Earth's Air Pollution overview."