What's the story?
The Mystery of Anthrax Island.
Tell me more.
A new BBC Scotland documentary delves into the fascinating – and chilling – story of "Anthrax Island". The small, oval-shaped island of Gruinard, a few miles off the coast of Wester Ross, was requisitioned by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) during the Second World War.
In 1942, government scientists conducted experimental biological weapons tests on sheep using anthrax cluster bombs that unleashed deadly bacteria. Afterwards, Gruinard became a no-go zone for decades due to the fatal spores that remained in contaminated soil.
Then what?
A shadowy protest group, the self-dubbed Dark Harvest Commando, set about trying to force the decontamination and clean-up of the island in 1981.
They claimed to have removed 300lbs of infected soil. A small package of the potentially lethal substance was left close to the perimeter fence of the MoD's defence science and technology laboratory at Porton Down in Wiltshire.
READ MORE: Sky to turn Lockerbie disaster into TV drama series
A second package of soil was discovered five days later at Blackpool Tower – close to the location of then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and the Conservative party conference.
Anything else?
Directed and produced by Bafta-winning filmmaker John MacLaverty, the one-hour programme brings together archive footage alongside interviews with police, media and locals.
When can I watch?
The Mystery of Anthrax Island, BBC Scotland, Tuesday, 10pm.
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