POLLUTION inspectors have been called into Clitheroe's Castle Cement plant after a spillage of the controversial Cemfuel in the early hours.

A full investigation by staff at the Ribblesdale factory and officials from the Inspectorate of Pollution will be carried out.

The spill, which Castle officials claim was quite small, happened while the waste fuel was being pumped from one tank on the site to another. A spokesman for Castle Cement said: "There was a small spillage of Cemfuel within the fuel storage area but it was captured within the specially designed containment walls around the storage tanks.

"No emergency services were required on site and work has continued as normal. There was no threat to staff."

But protesters campaigning against the use of the highly inflammable fuel say the threat of danger is ever present.

Mrs Mary Horner, who lives on a farm near Grindleton, said: "If there had been a spark near this spillage it could have taken Clitheroe with it.

"In other parts of the world this kind of fuel is not permitted to be stored within miles of the nearest houses and yet, here in Clitheroe, there are houses less than 100 yards away."

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