poisoned air

More could be done to prevent the early deaths of up to 50,000 people each year hastened by air pollution.

A Commons Environmental Audit Committee report said the UK should be "ashamed" of its poor air quality which was contributing to conditions such as asthma, heart disease and cancer. Pollutants such as ozone, nitrogen oxides and tiny particles - from transport and power stations have been blamed for contributing to early deaths.

Particle matter is estimated to reduce people's lives by an average seven to eight months, while in pollution hotspots vulnerable residents, such as those with asthma, could be dying up to nine years early, the report says.

EAC chairman Tim Yeo said: "Air pollution probably causes more deaths than passive smoking, traffic accidents or obesity, yet it receives very little attention from government or the media. In the worst affected areas this invisible killer could be taking years off the lives of people most at risk, such as those with asthma."

Air pollution also leads to damage to wildlife and agriculture, with ground-level ozone estimated to reduce wheat yields in the south of Britain by 5% to 15%.