Army bomb squad called in after volatile chemicals found at Sellafield nuclear plant

Army bomb squad specialists have dashed to the nuclear reprocessing plant at Sellafield after hazardous chemicals were found in a lab.

Canisters containing the potentially volatile chemicals were uncovered by a routine check at the laboratory at the site in Cumbria.

The industrial solvents, such as Tetrahydrofuran, are potentially flammable in liquid states and can become unstable when exposed to air.

None of the chemicals are nuclear or radiological materials, a spokesman for Sellafield said.

After the discovery of the chemicals, which had been stored in the lab since 1992, protocols for handling hazardous chemicals meant the Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team were called around 8pm last night to assess the situation.

An area of the site is cordoned off as a precaution - but the rest of the site is operational and the majority of weekend staff are working normally.

The Bomb Squad has returned this morning to help dispose of the chemicals safely.

A spokesman for Sellafield said the Army team will dig a trench, bury the canisters using sandbags, and detonate them in a controlled manner.