Readers have been responding to a story following a group which is campaigning yo get fluoride out of the drinking water.

For more than 50 years fluoride has been added to West Cumbrian water supplies.

Fluoride Free Cumbria claims it is harmful to people's health and has been lobbying politicians and councils over the years.

The county council, which has the power to cease the addition of fluoride, will discuss the matter this week, following a request from FFC. The Cabinet will then respond to the scrutiny committee’s recommendation in January.

Chairman Paul Carr said: "We have been working tirelessly to stop fluoride being added at the new Willimsgate plant and have forced the issue of fluoridation to the Scrutiny Management Board of the county council and made our submissions."

He will meet with Workington MP Mark Jenkinson next month.

Dianne Standen is a member of FFC. Her daughter contracted fluorosis as a child and she is keen to share the dangers.

"Boris Johnson has recently gone on record to describe water fluoridation as 'safe and effective'," she said.

"This contradicts the findings of many scientific reviews which identified dental fluorosis to be present where water is fluoridated.

"Dental fluorosis indicates high levels of fluoride taken into the body and the visible signs range from white mottling to brown pitting of the damaged teeth."

Readers have been sharing their thoughts.

A user going by the name 'Mr Teatime' said: "I'm unsure of Ms Standen's qualifications but Professor John Newton, Director of Health Improvement at Public Health England, published a report in the British Dental Journal in 2018 confirming the benefits of fluoridation."

Frequent commenter, who uses the name 'Dagsannr', said: "Dental fluorosis is a purely aesthetic condition, and also only a result of levels of fluoride much, much higher than is found in public water supplies.

"The benefits of fluoridation are far greater."

Disagreeing, a user going by the name 'wiretreehugger' said: "Fluoride exposure can ultimately lead to an autoimmune reaction to the thyroid gland.

"Common forms of autoimmune thyroiditis are Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, and Grave's disease, a less common disorder that causes an overactive thyroid gland.

"Stopping fluoridation of water will stop chemical companies from getting rid of their chemical waste."