AIR monitoring systems at the Atomic Weapons Establishment in Aldermaston have detected radioactive fall-out from the Japanese Fukushima nuclear power plant.

The low levels of radioactive iodine have also been detected by monitoring stations in Oxfordshire and Glasgow.

The Health Protection Agency has described the levels detected as “miniscule” and say that there is no risk to public health.

Aldermaston is nearly 6,000 miles from the damaged Japanese nuclear plant, which has been at the centre of a meltdown crisis since the devastating earthquake and tsunami on March 11.

Rachel Whybrow, spokeswoman for AWE, said: “In common with other organisations that carry out routine monitoring in the UK, AWE has detected very low levels of Iodine-131, which is a radionuclide, almost certainly attributable to the recent events at the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan, on its air monitors. This has nothing to do with operations on AWE sites.”

A spokesman from the Health Protection Agency said: “The dose received from inhaling air with these measured levels of iodine-131 is minuscule and would be very much less than the annual background radiation dose.

“The detection of these trace levels reflects the sensitivity of the monitoring equipment. The levels detected therefore mean there is no public health risk in the UK from the release of radioactive material from the Fukushima nuclear power plant.”

The Japanese radiation leak has sparked huge concerns, and some protests, about nuclear power plants.