NEW gas resistant membranes are to be fitted under the floors of a number of homes on a housing estate in Leftwich where two children died from a rare form of Acute Myeloid Leukaemia.

Remedial work will also be carried out in gardens where there is evidence of chemical contamination in the soil, which will be dug out and replaced.

An investigation into possible contamination of the land on the Leftwich Estate was launched last year following the deaths of two toddlers, Rebecca Watts, 19 months, of Muirfield Close, and Sharon Pymer, 17 months, of Greenlaw Close, from an extremely rare form of childhood leukaemia.

The leaking gas found earlier this year is not linked to the deaths but low levels of benzene and other contaminants were found in the soil of one Muirfield Close garden. Benzene is a recognised carcinogen and is known to cause the disease which killed the two babies - Acute Myeloid Leukaemia.

Lower concentrations of contaminants were also discovered elsewhere on the estate.

Muir Housing commissioned environmental consultants ERM to oversee the fitting of the new gas membranes, and ERM's Phil Crowcroft said: 'Tests revealed that some membranes are not sealed properly.

'A total of 24 properties will be tested to assess the integrity of the existing membranes. The work will provide properties with robust protection against ground gasses.'

The ongoing multi-agency investigation has centred on environmental studies of what's in the land - a former landfill site - the houses are built on, on air quality, genetic factors and on a study of cancer and leukaemia patterns in Cheshire.

Residents have been fully involved in the investigation and at a public meeting last week, Dr Alex Stewart from the Health Protection Agency said: 'There is nothing that we can point to at this time and say definitely that it caused illness in the children, but our investigations are continuing.'

An study of cancers and leukaemia in Cheshire as a whole has not highlighted any abnormal patterns of illness in Leftwich.