NUCLEAR material could have been stolen from Sellafield and used to make bombs without the knowledge of the British Nuclear Group, according to a European Commission report.

The British Nuclear Group, which runs the controversial Sellafield plant, was today formally warned over the way it records and reports on radioactive material held at the site.

A recent leak at Sellafield nuclear engineering plant could close part of the site for months, it was reported today.

The recent leak at Sellafield is “another damning indictment” of the ageing nuclear power station, the Environment Minister said today.

Sellafield nuclear plant cannot account for 30kg of plutonium which has “gone missing” from its site, it was reported today.

British state-owned nuclear firm BNFL reported wider annual losses of £303m (€459.5m) today after seeing costs increase at operations including Sellafield.