SAFETY campaigners fear carbon monoxide could be a far greater threat than it appears to be.

Research has uncovered details of many tragedies dating back 10 years.

Now there are genuine concerns that many more people may have been affected by the poison.

Stephanie Trotter, president of the national pressure group CO-Gas Safety, said more had to be done.

She backed the Examiner campaign, launched this week, and appealed for MPs to raise the issue.

A meeting is to take place at Westminster tomorrow, organised by the group, and they aim to spread the safety message to others.

Ms Trotter said: "On average, carbon monoxide kills about 50 people per year and injures about 300 more.

"These figures are almost certainly the tip of an iceberg as there is no automatic testing for CO of people who die suddenly.

"Also, people who have symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning have great difficulty in having blood or breath tests and we may never know if they have suffered."

Between September 1995 to August last year, there were 393 accidental deaths caused by carbon monoxide poisoning in the UK.

Of those, 288 died in their home or flat.

Of the remainder, 12 died in caravans, 12 on board boats and eight in workplaces.

The safety group have also produced a memorial list of those 393 victims and it makes sombre reading.

The victims have been of all ages, ranging from youngsters like Fartown schoolboy Dominic Rodgers, who was just 10 when the poisonous fumes claimed his life last year, to people in their 90s.

Several young babies and toddlers are on the list; so, too, are students living away from home.

Ms Trotter said: "We hope that families and friends understand the reason for having a list of names is to bring it home to the authorities that those who died of poisoning were people with loved ones, not a mere list of statistics.

"It is a lasting memorial".