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Former government chief scientist Lord May accused Chinese team of 'blind ambition' Researchers created strains in a bid to develop vaccines Comes as experts warn new flu strain that has killed 27 in China could spread to Europe

By Mark Prigg

PUBLISHED: 07:10 EST, 3 May 2013 | UPDATED: 08:17 EST, 3 May 2013

One of Britain's leading scientists has hit out at Chinese researchers who created new strains of a killer flu virus in a bid to develop vaccines.

They claim the 'hybrid' flu, which mixes bird flu virus with human flu, could escape the lab and lead to a global health crisis pandemic killing millions of people.

It comes amid rising fears of a flu epidemic as China struggles to contain an outbreak of the virus.

The Bird Flu Virus up close: researchers fear an experimental strain of the killer virus could escape from the Chinese lab that created it

Fears over hybrid flu escaping led to scientists imposing a voluntary moratorium on their H5N1 research, banning transmission studies using ferrets.

However, researchers decided to lift the ban earlier this year, arguing that they have now consulted widely with health organisations and the public over safety concerns.

However, some scientists still oppose the work, saying any work is too dangerous and experimental strains could escape the lab.

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Scientists slam 'appalling irresponsibility' of researchers in China who deliberately created new strains of killer ...