PART of a chemical plant has been forced to shut after a leak left neighbouring residents complaining of sore throats and stinging eyes.

The Environment Agency served a prohibition notice on Nipa Laboratories, Nook Lane, Oswaldtwistle, after the incident on Wednesday night to prevent further risk of pollution.

Investigators said a chemical overflowed into an acid gas scrubber at the Bit Plant which resulted in the release of sulphur dioxide and hydrogen chloride.

The ban means the company cannot use the part of the plant involved in the leak until the Environment Agency, in consultation with the Health and Safety Executive, is satisfied it can operate safely. The notice was served under Section 14 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Chris Smith, area team leader of the Environment Agency's process industries regulation department, said: "We have issued the prohibition notice to try and ensure incidents like this do not occur in the future.

"NIPA Laboratories will not be able to carry on with this work in Oswaldtwistle until they satisfy us that they have investigated the problem and found ways to tackle it."

Prohibition notices are issued only if the agency believes that allowing a process to continue poses an imminent risk of serious pollution to the environment.

The agency said inquiries were continuing and further action had not been ruled out

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