POSTERS made to look like they had been put up by environmental officers from local councils claiming air in Petersfield is dangerously polluted have been branded as ‘fake news.’

The professionally produced posters with East Hampshire District Council and Petersfield Town Council logos on claim the central car park is a ‘poor air quality zone.’

They say nitrogen dioxide levels and PM10 levels in the air are higher than legal limits.

They also advise pedestrians to take another route to avoid inhaling the polluted air.

Both councils say the posters are fake, inaccurate and weren’t put up by their officers.

The district council also says the air in Petersfield is regularly tested for pollution and levels are well within safe limit guidelines.

A district council spokesman added: “The signs were not issued by the council and we want to reassure residents there is no reason to believe there is anything to worry about in the quality of the air.”

The Petersfield Extinction Rebellion group vigorously campaigns for local measures to be implemented to avert what they say is an impending climate emergency brought about by pollution.

A group spokesman said as far as she knew the group hadn’t put up the posters, but also said individual members were free to campaign how they liked.

Earlier this year a placard bearing the group’s logo demanding immediate environmental improvement action was hung on the statue in The Square.

And social media posts on the group’s Twitter feed addressed to both councils just before the posters went up claim the air in Petersfield contains dangerous levels of pollutants.

One said: “Air in Petersfield exceeds EU Environmental safe limits.”

Another said: “Current air quality in The Square exceeds safe limits.”