HALTON Borough Council has carried out tests of plans that would be put in place in the event of a major emergency at a chemicals company in Widnes.

Exercises have been taking place at Iconichem to test the external multi-agency emergency response plan for the Moss Bank Road site.

The council has a statutory duty to test emergency off-site plans as part of regulations that govern chemical sites that make, store or handle hazardous substances.

Plans and the tests – which were carried out with the assistance of NHS England and the Environment Agency – are designed to ensure that measures are in place to protect residents and the environment in the event of a major chemical emergency.

Cllr Dave Cargill, executive board member for risk and emergency planning at Halton Borough Council, said: “The testing of the ICoNiChem external plan is invaluable to all agencies involved in the exercise.

“This gives reassurance to all involved in the unlikely event of an incident occurring onsite, a quick and efficient response would take place to mitigate the offsite effects for the community and the borough of Halton.”