AN Essex based estate agent has been slammed by BANNG for a press release making light of the effects of nuclear fallout.

eMoov, an online estate agent released an article called ‘Nuclear House Hunting – Option for Homebuyers Outside of a Nuclear Impact Zone’, which showed the property hotspots outside predicted blast zones if the UK’s 20 biggest cities were nuked.

The estate agent said: “With tensions between the US and North Korea escalating, eMoov.co.uk has highlighted some options for home buyers that should (hopefully) keep them clear of any nuclear impact from World War Three.

“A back yard nuclear bunker can be a cool edition to a property, but can also be a pain to construct.

“So rather than hide away, home owners can look to radiation free pockets of the nation to save themselves the trouble.”

The move has drawn criticism from BANNG (Bradwell Against New Nuclear Group), who said they were “amazed, not amused.”

A spokesman for the group said: “The silly season is definitely upon us when an Essex Estate Agent, eMoov, can have a bit of fun advising on the best places to live in the event of a nuclear attack on UK cities.

“The terrible truth is that in the event of a major nuclear attack, large numbers of the population would be annihilated and a lot of those left would suffer from the effects of radiation. Let’s hope it never happens.

“While eMoov is having a bit of fun with a, hopefully, unlikely nuclear scenario, it is ignoring another equally dangerous one that is actually being planned for one of the so-called radiation-free zones: a Chinese-designed and -built nuclear power station at Bradwell.

“eMoov has inadvertently drawn attention to just how reckless and irresponsible it is even to contemplate the building of new reactors at Bradwell.”

BANNG chairman, Andy Blowers added: “We are amazed, not amused, that Maldon District and Essex County Councils are laying out the red carpet for the Chinese at Bradwell.

“In doing so, the councils are failing to follow their duty of protecting the local population and are exposing it to potential danger from what BANNG believes amounts to a nuclear experiment on the fragile Blackwater estuary.”

Russell Quirk, from online agent eMoov, apologised for any offence, but said it was "completely tongue in cheek".