A number of homes in Gorebridge, Midlothian, are to be fitted with Carbon Dioxide (CO2) detectors.

Some 60 homes in Newbyres Crescent will receive one of the devices, while the adjacent care home and extra care housing at Newbyres Care Village will also be fitted.

The local authority has said the installation work is just a precautionary measure.

Midlothian Council has been working with independent consultants Fairhursts to investigate higher than normal Co2 detected inside some of the properties. All of the council homes were tested within their external wall cavities for Co2 gas after higher than normal levels were found by the Coal Authority. As a result, five homes have been decanted in the development.

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The families have been temporarily rehomed.

Commenting on the work, Council Leader, Owen Thompson, said: "We appreciate how unsettling this situation has been for residents and our first priority has always been public safety.

"Where our monitors have found higher than expected levels of Co2, we have acted quickly to protect the public.

"Safety is our number one priority and that is why we are taking the additional measure of installing Co2 detectors in all homes on Newbyres Crescent.

"We are working with Fairhursts to investigate and resolve this problem as soon as we can."

(JP/MH)