NEIGHBOURS of a former Russian spy who was killed by radiation say they have been left in the dark by Haringey Council. Residents in Osier Crescent last week received a letter telling them the home of ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko (pictured) – who was

NEIGHBOURS of a former Russian spy who was killed by radiation say they have been left in the dark by Haringey Council.

Residents in Osier Crescent last week received a letter telling them the home of ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko (pictured) - who was killed five months ago after exposure to a lethal poison - is dangerous and cannot be entered.

But they are furious they've only just been given the news and slammed the council's environmental health team for its ineptitude.

Lucie Hass, who lives next door to the contaminated house, said: "It's ridiculous, I think they are very, very inefficient.

"It has taken them a long time to send this letter out - they should have done it a week after it happened. There were some people who were extremely worried."

Mr Litvinenko died in November last year after being given a dose of the radioactive substance Polonium 210 and his widow Marina and son Anatoli have not returned to the house.

The letter sent by council officers explains the house is radioactive and says an order has been made under the 2004 Housing Act to prevent "use of the premises in its current state".

It said: "Investigations by the police and the Health Protection Agency have revealed that the home of Mr Litvinenko is contaminated with Polonium 210 and that a hazard exists to anyone residing in or entering the premises.

"This situation will remain until suitable remediation works are carried out to the premises or the Polonium 210 decays naturally to safe levels.

"The Health Protection Agency has reassured members of the public that the risk of being expo-sed to this substance remains low."

Crime chief Cllr Nilgun Canver said: "We sent the letter to residents in Osier Crescent at this time because we want them to be aware that we have served an order on Mr Litvinenko's home, preventing use of the premises until remediation works have been carried out.

"We will continue to keep residents informed of further council action in this case."

o Meanwhile Litvinenko's wife has launched a campaign to find his killers.

Marina Litvinenko said she would not rest until the men who poisoned her husband had been brought to justice.

She said: "What I do for the murder of my husband, his memory. I don't want it to happen to somebody else.