Chemical spill "threatens River Pang"

Race to limit damage from thousands of litres of crop spray

A TANKER containing 3,000 litres of herbicide split open this morning (Monday).

The incident sparked fears of environmental pollution.

The tanker belonged to the nearby Institute of Animal Health (IAH).

Environment Agency spokeswoman Karen Parker said: "We received a call this morning about a crop sprayer tank which had been punctured whilst in transit. Our environment officers attended the scene and saw that approximately 3,000 litres of herbicide had run across High Street and into a dry ditch by the side of the road. "This afternoon the herbicide has been sucked out of the ditch by a tanker commissioned by the local farmer and we have been overseeing the clean up operation."

A spokeswoman for the IAH, Nancy Mendoza, said: "This morning a quantity of herbicide spilled from a crop-sprayer and was contained on the road and within a ditch at the bottom of Churn Road in Compton.

"The Institute is working with the Environment Agency to minimise any potential impact of this spill, which was quickly halted from further spread thanks to the rapid actions of staff."