A BLACKBURN company has been fined £5,000 for allowing 2,000 litres of waste emulsion paint to pollute a stream.

A stacked container at Steyport fell over and spilled its contents at the firm's premises on the Roman Road Industrial Estate, Blackburn magistrates were told.

The liquid ran through the surface water drains, designed to carry clean rainwater, and turned the stream a pink-orange colour.

As well as the fine, the firm, which makes inks, adhesives, lacquers and wood finishes, was ordered to pay £626 costs to the Environment Agency, which brought the prosecution.

Tim Warn, prosecuting, said the agency received reports that the stream, an unnamed tributary of the River Darwen, was discoloured near Milking Lane on March 13 this year.

An officer was sent to the scene and traced the discolouration to the Roman Road Industrial Estate, and then to Steyport's premises in Centurion Way.

There, he found evidence of a spillage of pink liquid, consistent with the stream's discoloration, at the back of the building.

They visited Steyport a few days later and operations director Jonathon Bullock admitted the pollution was caused by the spillage.