FIREFIGHTERS have been working clear 5kg of fertiliser which leaked onto the M56 this morning, Friday.

Shortly after 8.30am firefighters were called to reports of a spillage on the M56 eastbound, between junction 11 for Daresbury and 10 for Stretton, after a bag of fertiliser split on the back of a lorry.

On arrival crews found a small leak from a one tonne bag of what is believed to be ammonia nitrate.

Around 5kgs of the fertiliser had leaked onto the roadway.

Highways England and police closed the slip road at junction 11 and a 15-metre cordon was set up around the spillage for safety purposes.

Crews from three fire stations contained the spillage and cleaned up the leaked fertiliser.

They also used a thermal imaging camera to check that there was no danger of the fertiliser igniting.

Firefighters were in attendance for one hour.