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A study claiming Highbury Fields can be more polluted than central London roads on summer days has reignited the debate over the banning of barbecues.

It is one of the few parks in the capital where they are permitted, but residents calling for a ban say high levels of air pollution on sunny days are risking their health.

The Save Highbury Fields residents’ group recorded PM2.5 particle levels at the park in August last year using equipment from King’s College.

The fine PM2.5 particles can be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung and are known to exacerbate asthma and cause heart problems.

The initial draft of the report by Islington Council found levels of PM2.5 in Highbury Fields were three times higher than in Russell Square and Marylebone Road.

The council overturned a barbecue ban in 2011 to allow residents without gardens to make the most of summer.

Dr Normi Hazell, a retired GP whose home overlooks Highbury Fields, said she was concerned about the health implications. “We get smoke blowing through the house from the barbecues,” she said. “We get coughing, and residents have had health issues – asthma and sinus problems.”

Leyla Daybelge, 49, a journalist and mother-of-two who has lived near the park for nine years, said: “On the last sunny weekend, there were over 1,000 people on the Fields and nearly 100 barbecues burning simultaneously.

“I’ve spoken to local parents who say they no longer enjoy bringing their children to the Fields on sunny days due to the barbecue smoke, which causes streaming eyes and breathing problems.”

Residents say disposable barbecues damage the grass and that rubbish and leftover meat are strewn across the park on busy days.

Green ward councillor and London Assembly member Caroline Russell said the park could be a “no-go area” for people with health problems.

“Highbury Fields should be an idyllic green lung in the centre of Islington, enjoyed by people from all over the borough and beyond,” she added.

“The smell of barbecuing food is one thing but the toxic tang of the chemicals used to light the coals in disposable barbecues is very unpleasant and possibly damaging to health.

“The extremely high readings of PM2.5 are very worrying. I’ve asked the council to give a categoric statement about the health implications of PM2.5 particulates and the accelerant chemicals in the smoke people are breathing.”

Founder and director of Clean Air in London, Simon Birkett, said: “The inconsiderate use of barbecues in Highbury Fields can cause a nuisance and harm the health of other park users and residents. Prolonged exposure to lots of smoke – whether downwind in the park or trapped in a house nearby – could irritate existing breathing problems or conceivably cause someone a heart attack or stroke.”

Islington Council environment chief Councillor Claudia Webbe said: “Lifting the barbecue ban has been incredibly popular. This gives everyone a chance to enjoy their own barbecue with friends and family.

“While we accept that on a small number of days of the year this does cause an increase in smoke, we believe it is a worthwhile trade-off to ensure people are able to use and enjoy their local parks over the summer.”