Following claims made by a whistle-blower, a BBC Panaroma programme has investigated Sellafield and found the conditions at the Cumbria nuclear site seriously worrying. The Irish government is being urged to demand the closure of the nuclear facility which lies 180km from Ireland’s coastline.

The investigation found the site understaffed and more worryingly that radioactive material was being stored in degrading plastic bottles. They also discovered parts of the facility are dangerously rundown.

Sellafield has commented that the site in Cumbria is safe and has been improved with significant investment in recent years.

The investigation follows revelations by a whistle-blower – a former senior manager who was worried by conditions. He believed that a fire in one of the nuclear waste silos or one of the processing plants was a real concern and said: “If there is a fire there it could generate a plume of radiological waste that will go across Western Europe.”

Watch the full BBC Panorama episode below