A POLICE investigation and major clean-up operation were launched this week when thieves spilled thousands of gallons of diesel into local waterways.

During an early morning raid at Heysham industrial estate, Middleton Road, a valve on a fuel tank was broken, releasing £20,000 of diesel.

The month's supply for haulage company R&B Transport poured down Unit 14's site on Wednesday and into Trimpell Dyke, which feeds into the Lune estuary conservation area.

The Environment Agency was quickly on hand to try and protect the habitat and wildlife.

The ground, drains and watercourses had already been contaminated, but EA officer Byran Williams was hopeful most of the slick could be contained in the dyke.

"If it got into the estuary it would be affected by the tides and there's nothing we could do," he explained.

Site owner Ste-phen Hancock told the Citizen: "I heard about it at 3am. I just sat down for 10 or 15 minutes and tried to grasp what had hap-pened."

He said he just hoped it didn't rain as the pollution would be more difficult to manage.

For the full story see News - Lancaster.

May 22, 2003 09:30