Test firing for uranium ammunition

TEST-FIRING of controversial depleted uranium (DU) shells is to take place this week at an army range in south-west Scotland.

The Ministry of Defence said the shells, used extensively in the first Gulf War, will be tested at the Kirkcudbright Range at Dundrennen, four miles from the town of Kirkcudbright.

The shells were developed and tested at the facility, and the latest batch of ammunition will be fired over the next five days. The MoD said the trials were necessary to allow safety checks for military operations, but claimed only a small amount of ammunition will be fired.

The first firing of DU shells took place at Kirkcudbright in the early 1980s. The ammunition has armour-piercing capabilities in bullet or shell form. The last shells were fired at the range in 2003.

Over the last 20 years, up to 8,000 DU-tipped shells were fired from the range into the Solway Firth, raising fears health concerns.

The World Health Organisation investigated but said the shells posed only a small contamination risk.

However, there have been claims to the contrary from the families of military personnel who have served in conflicts where DU ordnance has been used.