BOURNEMOUTH has become one of Britain's smog blackspots with pollution levels recorded at the weekend more than double the Government health limit.

Friends of the Earth have revealed that while the resort basked in Mediterranean temperatures ozone pollution levels shattered Government health standards every day last week.

And on Saturday Bournemouth, traditionally renowned for its bracing sea air, was among five Government monitoring sites where pollution was double the health standard.

Portsmouth, Harwell, Wicken Fen and Wigan Leigh also recorded dangerously high air pollution figures.

Friends of the Earth South West Regional Campaigner Mike Birkin said: "Our record-breaking sunshine has brought a lot of smog, breaching health standards in this area.

"The Government must do more to tackle the source of the pollution by cutting the amount of traffic on our roads.

"Widening motorways won't help us breathe more easily; the Government should be spending more on giving people real alternatives to using cars."

Ozone pollution, or summertime smog, is formed by the interaction of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and hydrocarbons (HCs) in sunlight.

This means that levels tend to be highest in summer when there is more sunshine. The principal source of both nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons is road traffic.

The Government's Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland published in 2000, set the health standard for ozone at 100 microgrammes per cubic metre, equivalent to 50 parts per billion.

Ozone causes coughing and choking, headaches, eye, nose and throat irritation and chest discomfort.

It aggravates asthma symptoms and recent studies in California suggest that ozone can cause asthma.

Government health experts have estimated that ozone pollution causes up to 12,500 premature deaths and up to 9,900 additional hospital admissions for respiratory problems every year.

Experts expect global climate change is likely to make the problem worse.