Tube dust has the potential to cause serious illness in passengers and station staff, landmark research has revealed.

The first study on the impact of PM (particulate matter) particles from an underground railway found exposure increased the risk of pneumococcal infections such as pneumonia.

Professor Jonathan Grigg, who led the Queen Mary University of London research team, said concerned commuters should try to switch from deep-level to sub-surface lines or the Elizabeth line, which has advanced air ventillation systems.

He suggested that Transport for London publish a “clean line index” of Underground lines. He called for a study of Tube staff that compared the health of drivers and platform staff with those working closer to the surface.

Previous studies found levels of microscopic PM10 and PM2.5 were more concentrated on the Underground compared with above ground, but had been unable to assess the health implications.

The QMUL study, published in The Lancet, found the dust — mainly iron and graphite particles — was toxic and able to enter the bloodstream via the nose, a process called “pneumococcal adhesion and penetration”.

Professor Grigg, the UK’s leading paediatrician on the effects of air pollution in children, told the Standard: “I think the bottom line is that Tube dust, at least in the deep Underground lines, which is generated by the trains and the tracks, is not just ‘nuisance dust’ you can ignore.”

Researchers collected dust from the Bakerloo and Jubilee line platforms at Baker Street station. The dust was mixed with saline and transferred onto the noses of laboratory research mice.

This resulted in the “remarkable finding” that exposure to the dust increased mortality from pneumococcal infection and the ability of bacteria to enter the body. Laboratory tests were also done using human cells, which confirmed the ability of the dust to harm humans.

However, it is unknown how frequently commuters are at risk of being exposed to the levels of pollutants underground that could cause harm.

Professor Grigg said: “Normally bacteria just hang around for a little bit in the nose and don’t cause any disease. With the mice that we penetrated with the dust, some got very severe disease.”

TfL regularly monitors dust. In December, the results from 12 stations found concentrations had increased at four — Baker Street, Aldgate East, Elephant & Castle and Waterloo.

Lilli Matson, TfL’s chief safety, health & environment officer, said: “Our monitoring has shown that dust levels on the Tube remain well below limits set by the Health and Safety Executive, but we are going further and have developed a number of innovative new cleaning regimes.

“This includes the use of industrial backpack dust cleaners, which are one part of our multi-million pound Tube cleaning programme.

“We are working closely with Queen Mary University London to review the results of their study, in addition to working with other leading academics such as Imperial College London, to ensure we fully understand any possible health risks associated with dust on the Tube.”

BLACKBURN with Darwen Council has opened two books of condolence for the late Queen as East Lancashire local authorities prepare to proclaim King Charles on Sunday.

The club moved to Cumbernauld in the early 1990s but could be set to return home.

A river pageant, a palace pop concert and beacon lighting across the country marked the monarch’s 60 years on the throne.

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<p>A grieving woman is spending £3.5k and travelling more than 7,000 miles so her beloved hamster's ashes can be spread - in Hawaii.</p><p>Pet Spud passed away naturally in March of this year at the impressive age of three years and seven months.</p><p>Owner Lisa Murray-Lang, 46, has been left devastated by the death - and wants to give the Syrian hamster a special send-off.</p><p>So she and her husband are planning to fly to Honolulu in October so Spud's ashes can be spread.</p><p>Lisa, a professional dog walker, says the trip will also go via Amsterdam - or "Hamsterdam", as she calls it.</p><p>She said: "We're going to take him down to the beach, play Beyoncé's song I Was Here while we scatter his ashes and leave a message in the sand saying 'Spud visited'.</p><p>"It's the perfect send-off for him - he'll finally get to come along on a real holiday for once."</p><p>Lisa, from Birmingham, doted on Spud throughout his life - and often created lifelike 'locations' for him to visit.</p><p>She recreated cardboard versions of London, Paris and Coronation Street during lockdown and let the hamster play in them.</p><p>Lisa says one of the reasons she chose Hawaii to pay her final respects to Spud was because of how much he enjoyed visiting the model version.</p><p>She expects the cost of the trip to top £3,500, as it is a "final journey" - with other stops on the way to Kahanamoku Beach, Waikiki.</p><p>Lisa said Spud lived a happy life, adding: "The average age a hamster will live to is about two and a half years - so it's amazing really that he kept going for so long.</p><p>"He really gave us a reason to get out of bed in the morning, particularly during the lockdown when work stopped. He was a real part of the family.</p><p>"He might have only stayed at home during his life but he managed to visit lots of places.</p><p>"The Hawaii set was always Spud's favourite - he loved the sand, especially given at the time it was winter and we were all surrounded by snow at the time."</p><p>Lisa started making sets for her pet as a lockdown hobby when the pandemic started just six months after she got him.</p><p>She handcrafted every element using cardboard and dolls, with some sets even featuring hamster-themed artwork.</p><p>Other particularly impressive sets included the famous magical castle of Hogwarts - or "Hamwarts" - from the Harry Potter films, along with No.10 Downing Street.</p>

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