Corby Toxic Town: Parents Fight for Truth on Waste

In Corby, Northamptonshire, a growing number of families are linking rare childhood leukaemias and other cancers to the historical dumping of toxic waste from the town's former steelworks. Alison Gaffney, whose son Fraser battled a rare leukaemia, is at the forefront of this movement, suspecting environmental contamination rather than genetic causes.

These concerns have coalesced into a campaign group representing approximately 130 families whose children have been diagnosed with cancer since 1988. They are pressing local authorities to investigate potential links between the steelworks' decommissioning and the high incidence of childhood cancers. The North Northamptonshire council has announced plans to test land and investigate historical waste disposal sites, acknowledging a lack of documentation regarding previous dumping locations.

Public health officials are also set to publish an analysis of childhood cancer rates in Corby. The council's commitment to transparency and investigation has been met with cautious optimism by affected families, who are seeking truth and measures to protect future generations from similar suffering.