A farm owner has asked a nuclear forum why he has not received anti-radiation tablets which were handed out to local households as a precaution against possible emergencies at Hunterston.

All properties within a 2.4km zone of the nuclear power station are handed potassium iodate tablets which would be taken by residents in the event of any radiation release if an emergency incident was ever to take place.

The matter was discussed during a recent Hunterston stakeholders liaison meeting where station directors are in attendance, along with elected representatives, emergency services and local landowners.

However, Mr Willie Jack of Ardneil Farm, who attended the meeting reacted with surprise when he heard that a total of 43 properties within the designated 2.4km zone had been distributed with the tablets. He told the assembled audience at Seamill Hydro that he had not received the potassium iodate tablets.

Chairman of the site stakeholders group, Rita Holmes, of Fairlie, asked Mr Jack if he was within the designated zone, to which he responded that he thought it was around 2.45 to 2.47km.

Mrs Holmes said that she believed that there was a possiblity that Mr Jack could, indeed, get the tablets. The NHS arrange the pre-distribution of the tablets. Mr Jack asked if the matter could be checked out and the group agreed to report back at their following meeting in the spring. Potassium iodate tablets are stored within various emergency centres in Largs, Fairlie and West Kilbride.

In the event of a release affecting the residents within the off-site area, communication utilising telephone messaging would pass instructions to any affected residents to take the iodate tablets provided.

The NHS will arrange the distribution of the tablets, as appropriate, to other affected individuals when they have been evacuated to a rest centre.