Homes are evacuated as 'radioactive' rubbish is found in bin bags

'Radioactive' waste has been found inside bin bags near a primary school leading to at least a dozen homes being evacuated in London.

A cleaner called police to the road in Hammersmith, West London, after he made the shocking discovery whilst clearing out the property of elderly 'hoarders'. 

Emergency crews were called to the scene at 7pm on Thursday and specialist police officers swarmed the area as residents were evacuated from nearby homes.

Others were warned not to enter the street until it was safe, with one neighbour saying they couldn't get back into their home after work because the street was blocked off.

The cleaner, working for a private firm, had been hired to empty the semi-detached council house in Bentworth Road with a colleague. 

The pair decided to take the rubbish bags to a scrap dealer, who told them they were radioactive after scanning them at the tip. 

One of the cleaners, called George, told the Metro that he believed a 90-year-old woman lived in the property when she died, while a male occupant was now in a home.

He added that the couple were 'serious hoarders' who 'hadn't thrown anything away in years', with every room in the property 'filled with items'. 

George said: 'I took one load of bin bags and rubbish to the tip and when they scanned it they said I couldn't leave it here because it was radioactive.

'They scanned it in the scrapyard, and anything that goes through it and beeps they don't let you take in.'

The cleaners claimed they can't remember what was in the bags as there was 'so much rubbish' and believed the occupants had been hoarding for 'decades'.

One neighbour, who was forced to sit outside their house during last night's ordeal, also confirmed that the occupants had both been 'really old' and were 'serious hoarders'.

They told the Metro: 'They were very nice people; they were serious hoarders. There place is just full you can't even move in there place.

'They were both really old. The old lady passed away last Christmas and he has been in a home for a few months now.

'Nobody else was living there, I think they must have had their whole life in that house, and it looked like they never threw anything away.'

Specialist officers who are trained to deal with chemical, biological, radiation and nuclear incidents were present at the scene last night - which is situated 100 yards away from Ark Bentworth Primary Academy.

They discovered a non-dangerous antique item, which is believed to be a WWII compass containing a small amount of radium, which is not harmful.

The force said the incident was swiftly stood down and residents were returned to their homes that evening.

A Met Police spokesperson said: 'We were called after a person found an item they believed contained a harmful/chemical substance – it was checked and found to be safe.

'No further action.'