RESIDENTS living in the shadow of an Oswaldtwistle steel factory were told to keep their windows and doors shut today after a mystery chemical alert on the site.

Police, firefighters and the Environment Agency have launched an investigation after receiving anonymous tip-offs that drums of a chemical have been buried at Vernon Stainless Ltd, Victoria Street.

Today the Environment Agency confirmed that drums of either the chemical Xylene or Toluene - both flammable solvents - could be buried on the site.

Last night three fire engines and an incident support unit were on stand-by at the factory for several hours as environment agency officers investigated the claims. But the operation was called off shortly after 9pm because of difficulties of working in the dark.

Bosses from the company today met police, firefighters and Environment Agency officials at Accrington Police Station to discuss how to deal with the situation.

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said: "We were called out to investigate the suggestion that about 15 drums of chemical had been disposed of on the Vernons site.

"Our first priority is to ensure that there is no risk to local people. Our officers and environmental health officers will be looking at the site today to make sure there is no leakage and then we will bring in a specialist company to remove the drums.

"It is only then that we will be able to assess any environmental impact or potential contamination to the land or a nearby brook. We are also investigating how the drums came to be on this site." Inspector Steve Haworth said: "We are working to decide at the moment what, if anything, needs to be done. We have spoken to residents living in the immediate vicinity of the factory and advised them to keep their windows and doors shut for the time being."

Residents in the area said the site used to belong to a company called John Woods Steel Drums.

A resident in John Street, who did not want to be named, said: "The police said that some drums had been dug up but they were not sure what was in them. The police said the factory and the old owners thought it was old paint in the drums. But someone gave them a call saying it was something else, so they had to check it out."

Nobody from Vernons Stainless was available for comment today.

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