ONE of East Lancashire’s major roads is expected to stay closed until Friday because of a fuel spill after a collision between a van and a fuel tanker.

Three people were taken to hospital with minor injuries after the crash near Clitheroe on the A59 at 10.25am today.

Fire crews have now warned that the road will remain closed in both directions between Worston Road and Pendle Road for resurfacing following an oil spill from the tanker which overturned.

Motorists are being warned to avoid the road and to plan their journeys accordingly while police were setting up diversions.

Traffic is expected to be very heavy through Clitheroe and Chatburn while the closure remains in place.

A spokesman for the ambulance service said: “There has been an incident on the Pimlico Link Road and we sent four ambulances, a rapid response vehicle and an air ambulance. 

“We took took patients to hospital – two to the Royal Preston Hospital and another to the Royal Blackburn Hospital.”

A police spokesman said: “The road is still closed as they try to clean up the road.”

Police initially said the crash near the Pimlico Link Road would see the road closed for around four hours.