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Road closed as tanker overturns spilling ethanol

Northumberland County Council A tanker on its side in a field in a very rural location. A pipe is being used to drain its contents to another lorry.Northumberland County Council
The lorry was carrying ethanol which is being drained off before it can be recovered

A major route has been closed after a tanker overturned spilling a large quantity of ethanol.

It happened when the vehicle came off the A697 at about 01:45 BST and ended up in a field at Thrunton, near Whittingham, Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service said.

The county council said the stretch of the road between the New Moor House crossroads and the Bridge of Aln will be closed for several hours with diversions in place.

The authority said it believed the driver was unharmed.

A white van is parked across the road behind a row of cones and a road closed and a diverted traffic sign. It's a rural location with lots of trees on either side of the road.
Traffic going north is being diverted at the New Moor House crossroads

Emergency services have been at the scene for several hours and the ethanol, an industrial chemical, is being drained off into another vehicle.

Once that operation is completed the tanker will be pulled out of the ditch.

Mark Mather A distant shot of a two tankers, one on its side in a field and the other on the road. People in high-vis jackets can be seen as well as emergency vehicles. It's a rural scene with sheep visible in the field behind.Mark Mather
The ethanol is being drained off into a second vehicle before the tanker can be recovered

Mark Mather, Conservative councillor for Wooler, is urging people to allow extra time for their journeys.

He said: "This is obviously one of the key routes in north Northumberland, but hopefully the road will be open by the end of the day."

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