THE map on the right shows firing ranges in Britain where depleted uranium ammunition has been used in tests and training. Thousands of shells, designed to pierce the toughest armour, have been fired at Eskmeals, Cumbria, in the Solway Firth and at Lulworth, Dorset.

The Ministry of Defence says that regular tests for radioactivity are carried out at its ranges and show "no significant health risk". Last night, however, there were calls for an investigation into the potential dangers to civilians and service personnel amid fears that towns and villages near ranges could be at risk, along with members of the public who had access to them when they are not in use.

The National Gulf War Veterans' Association, which campaigns for servicemen who claim to have contracted illnesses in the conflict, said the testing of depleted uranium weapons in Britain was a serious health risk. Terry Gooding, an association spokesman, said: "Depleted uranium is not just an issue for servicemen; it is a matter for civilians as well. It being tested virtually on people's doorsteps."

Use of depleted uranium weapons is far more widespread in the American armed forces than in Britain's, although the Army's Challenger tank can use them. More than 100 American A10 "tankbuster" aircraft, which fired the 30mm shells that are at the centre of health fears, were based in Britain until the early 1990s. The US Air Force denies training with the ammunition in Britain.

Peter Kilfoyle, a former Labour defence minister, said: "I would loathe to think that depleted uranium shells are being used in the British countryside. We urgently need more research into their effects and it would be wrong to continue using them in Britain until we are sure they are safe." Paul Keetch, the Liberal Democrat defence spokesman, said: "The MoD should be investigating both the use of depleted uranium shells overseas and on training ranges in the UK. We don't know how big the risk is. That's why we need the research done."

MoD records show that 1,421 depleted uranium shells have been fired from the Kirkcudbright range into the Solway Firth since 1995. Alasdair Morgan, Scottish National Party MP for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale, said: "The shelling should stop and those shells already fired should be removed."

A spokesman for the National Radiological Protection Board, which monitors potential dangers, said there was no risk from unexploded weapons, although dust from detonated munitions could be a problem. He said: "If it is true that depleted uranium weapons have been used, suitable precautions are required to protect service personnel or the public. Aid workers and service personnel going to Kosovo should take precautions, and that would certainly apply if the weapons had been used in the UK."

Soldiers in the field are advised to wear protection such as masks when handling the remains of vehicles and equipment destroyed by depleted uranium weapons. According to the NRPB, depleted uranium can be hazardous in two ways - it is a toxic chemical and it is radioactive. Soluble forms can be absorbed through breathing or ingestion and this can cause kidney problems as the metal accumulates. In areas contaminated by insoluble uranium, the risk comes from disturbing the contamination and inhaling the dust that can be deposited in the lungs and "over a long period could be a contributory cause of lung cancer".

Dr John Harrison, an adviser to Nato on radiation medicine, said the major risk from depleted uranium was its effects on the kidneys. He said: "The actual amount of radiation in depleted uranium is quite small. That is why it is used in a whole variety of things: as shielding in X-ray machines, as ballast in aircraft, and as heavy weight in yacht keels.".

Last night, it emerged that defence ministers will be called before a Commons committee to explain what they are doing about the effects of depleted uranium. Bruce George, Labour chairman of the defence select committee, said: "The MoD has got to come up with a statement to reassure servicemen and their families. The Government has got to say what its analysis of the situation is, what it is doing and what it proposes to do."