FORTY homes were evacuated after a propane gas cylinder started leaking and there were fears a cloud of flammable gas could settle over Hapton.

Workers at bottled gas distributors Acewell Units, Simpson Street spotted the leak in a one-ton bottle last night and called the fire brigade.

Police sergeant Steve Easton said: "We evacuated all the houses next to Acewell and also in Norton Street and other engineering units in the same area.

"The evacuation was carried out purely as a precautionary measure on the advice of the chief fire officer and everyone was allowed back home within two hours." Police officers and 12 special constables manned the streets to organise the evacuation while fire crews dealt with the leaking gas.

One resident said: "We just got a knock on the door and a fire officer said we had to evacuate the premises and switch all lights and machinery off."

Fire Brigade acting divisional officer David Burton said: "We dispersed the gas into the atmosphere by spraying it with water jets to dilute it and reduce any possibility of ignition.

"There could have been a possibility of a pool of gas collecting in the area and forming a flammable gas cloud

"After the gas had been removed from the cylinder it was purged to remove any remaining traces of gas."

Residents stayed with neighbours until they were given the all clear.

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