HIGHER air pollution days in Oxford are responsible for six more cardiac arrests, as well as four adults and children being hospitalised for asthma or strokes each year, according to new research.

The data, released King’s College London and UK100, a network of local leaders, looked at hospital admissions when air pollution levels are higher in nine major cities across England, including Oxford.

ALSO READ: Councillors back kids striking over climate

In total, across the nine major cities, higher air pollution days trigger an additional 124 out-of hospital cardiac arrests, 231 hospitalisations for stroke and 193 children and adults hospitalised for asthma.

It has triggered a warning from the head of the NHS in England that the climate emergency was also a 'health emergency'.

The research, which will be published in full in November, is being released ahead of the International Clean Air Summit being hosted by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan and UK100 on Wednesday.

ALSO READ: Meet some of Oxfordshire’s Extinction Rebellion activists

Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England said: “As these new figures show, air pollution is now causing thousands of strokes, cardiac arrests and asthma attacks, so it’s clear that the climate emergency is in fact also a health emergency.

“Since these avoidable deaths are happening now - not in 2025 or 2050 - together we need to act now.

He added: "For the NHS that is going to mean further comprehensive action building on the reduction of our carbon footprint of one fifth in the past decade.

“So our NHS energy use, supply chain, building adaptations and our transport will all need to change substantially.”

The research show each year on average, higher air pollution days in Oxford are responsible for six more cardiac arrests outside hospital, two more hospitalisations for stroke, and one child and one adult hospitalised with asthma.