Launders Lane: Incurable lung cancer sufferer fears she will die before seeing toxic fire at end of road put out

A terminal cancer patient has spoken of her fears of living next to a toxic waste fire that has burned for over two decades.

Local mothers have launched a legal battle with their east London council after their steadfast refusal to designate the land around Launders Lane in Rainham as contaminated.

The land, used by criminals as an illegal dump site, has caught fire more than 100 times in the past five years, sending acrid smoke over playgrounds and nearby houses.

Bridie Plummer, 77, has lived by Launders Lane for 50 years with her husband Albert, who has suffered from a stroke and chest problems in the past few months.

She told The Independent her fears she would die before seeing a resolution with the council.

“I’ve finished two years of immunotherapy but it’s not going to cure my lung cancer. I’m not dead yet – I’m managing as best as I can.

“I would love to see a solution for the next generation of children. It would be worthwhile to be part of that movement. It won’t help me much but lots of young people are moving into the area with kids.

“My children are worried about me living here but I’ve been here 51 years – I can’t take the stress of moving now.

“I hope my illness has nothing to do with the fire. It won’t do me any good because by the time anything comes of it I will be six feet under.”

On whether she is taking precautions, she said: “You can either sit in your living room and do nothing and die of boredom.

“Or you can go out and play golf, I’m not very good, but I love to do that because it’s in the open air and not in Rainham.”

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Experts believe it could cost as much £10million to finally put out the fire with cash-strapped Havering council saying they will closely monitor air pollution levels – but Mrs Plummer wants results now.

She added: “My neighbour died of cancer so did his wife and he had sent in images of the fire to the council 15 years ago.

“So they know about it but why didn’t they do something?”

On whether a lawsuit against the council would work, she said: “Why do we have to go to court? The money could be saved to actually deal with it and turn it into a park or a football pitch or something. They need to just get on with it because time is running out.”

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