Corby Families Demand Action on Childhood Cancer Links to Toxic Waste

Families in Corby, Northamptonshire, are uniting to seek answers regarding a troubling rise in childhood cancer cases, which they believe may be linked to toxic waste sites in the area. The campaign, led by parents such as Alison Gaffney and Andy Hinde, has gained momentum as they connect with others who have faced similar tragedies.

In 2018, Gaffney and Hinde received the devastating diagnosis that their 17-month-old son, Fraser, had a rare type of leukaemia. After two years of intense treatment—including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and a stem cell transplant—Fraser, then three, experienced a remarkable recovery. As he began to heal, Gaffney reflected on a consultant’s unsettling comment that lingered in her mind: “It keeps us up at night wondering how Fraser got his cancer.”

Gaffney noted a deep concern about the disposal of millions of tonnes of contaminated waste from the now-closed Corby steelworks, Europe’s largest, which ceased operations in 1979. A civil case in 2009 had already linked the local council’s negligent cleanup of the site to birth defects in children during the 1980s and 1990s. This troubling history was highlighted in the 2025 Netflix series, Toxic Town.

As Gaffney began to connect the dots, she said, “[Fraser’s cancer is] not genetic. So what are the reasons? … It’s got to be down to the town.” She emphasized the prevalence of childhood cancer in Corby, stating, “Everybody in this town knows somebody who’s got a child [with] cancer. That’s not normal.”

Gaffney and Hinde have since reached out to other families affected by childhood cancer, including former classmates from Brooke Weston Academy. Their group now represents around 130 families with similar experiences dating back to 1988, advocating for a thorough investigation into the potential links between childhood cancers and the former steelworks site.

At the end of this month, public health officials are expected to release their analysis of whether Corby has experienced a disproportionately high number of childhood cancer cases, given its population of approximately 70,000. Gaffney stated, “All we want is to try and protect future people so they do not have to endure the pain that we’ve been through.”

The 2009 civil judgment acknowledged that from 1983 to 1997, millions of tonnes of contaminated materials were transported from the steel plant to Deene Quarry. It confirmed that large quantities of toxic waste were dropped on public roads, generating significant dust during the reclamation process. Gaffney suspects that waste was not only dumped at Deene Quarry but also in other areas of the town.

Recently, Gaffney welcomed a “major step forward” after North Northamptonshire Council announced plans to test land that could be contaminated. In a meeting, council staff reportedly admitted they lacked documentation on the locations of contaminated waste sites. “They said: ‘We don’t know where these sites are. We have no documentation, we have nothing on it,’” Gaffney recounted.

In a statement, the council acknowledged concerns raised about potential areas of contamination beyond Deene Quarry, saying, “We are thoroughly reviewing historic records to see if there is any information which suggests that disposal could have taken place elsewhere. This work will take time.”

The council’s transparency during the meeting surprised Gaffney and Hinde. “Local authorities don’t normally hold their hands up and take this on, but we’re really proud of them for doing so,” Gaffney said, adding that the council expressed a commitment to protect the community.

This commitment was echoed by Tonia Shalgosky, a primary school pastoral lead whose daughter, Bella, was diagnosed with blood cancer in June 2023. Shalgosky emphasized the need for the council to share information, stating, “There are so many people in the town that have been diagnosed with childhood cancer, and I just feel it’s too much to ignore—this can’t be normal.”

Meg Lyons, who lost her sister Eve to a rare bone cancer in 2017, also expressed the need for transparency. Eve was diagnosed at nine years old and passed away shortly after. Lyons recounted her mother’s memories of the plant’s closure, which left the town covered in red ash. “It’s an excessive amount of time, and it is negligence toward the people of Corby,” she said.

The campaign has also drawn attention to the involvement of families in the 2009 claim against the council. Gaffney revealed that whistleblowers, including her father, who worked as a lorry driver during the waste removal, have come forward with information about the dumping process. “He wasn’t even licensed to drive a lorry,” she noted.

In response to the situation, Des Collins, the lawyer who handled the 2009 civil claim, now representing Gaffney and other families, stressed the necessity of a statutory public inquiry. “Only a statutory public inquiry has the capability to reassure the public that the full truth has been uncovered,” Collins stated.

The council leader, Martin Griffiths, characterized the meeting with Gaffney and Hinde as the beginning of a collaborative effort. He affirmed the council’s commitment to transparency and announced the formation of a working group, which will include Gaffney, to address public health and contamination issues in Corby.

Gaffney remains hopeful that land testing will commence soon. “Now, every family that comes through, I’m listening to their stories, and it’s so hard. If anything, it just gives us that further fight,” she said. “We’ve got to find answers for these children.”