Cancer patient triggers nuclear alert at Dover port
Ferry Online Travel News 22/07/2010
British cancer patient returning from holiday set off a bomb alert.
Peter Davies, who hails from Witham, in Essex, had recently received treatment for thyroid cancer that involves being bombarded with huge doses of radiation. Upon departing the ferry at the port of Dover, he triggered radiation detectors, sparking a bomb scare at a time of high alert.
Mr Davies, 60, is a former news photographer and has worked for the Gazette. In an interview, he explained that had received the cancer treatment two weeks earlier. As his vehicle was driving off the ferry, it was stopped by officials from the UK Border Agency, who advised him that he had set of a radioactivity detector. Officials were on high alert, as it was the anniversary of the London bombings of July, 2005.
Mr Davies, and his partner Pauline Marr, were detained in their car while officials made further checks using a Geiger counter. The device appeared to confirm the presence of significant amounts of radiation. Mr Davies was carrying a letter from the hospital that confirmed his cancer treatment. Officials released the couple after 20 minutes and said this was the first time someone had been stopped in these circumstances.
Mr Davies received 2.8 gigabecquerels of radioisotope during treatment at London’s St Bartholomew’s Hospital. The safe limit for being allowed back in public is 800 megebecquerels but Mr Davies was down to 400 before leaving hospital.
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