RESIDENTS are being urged to dispose of used batteries properly after a fire broke out in the back of a bin lorry.

A recent incident saw firefighters from Runcorn and Penketh fire stations rush to Lewis Grove in Widnes to tackle the blaze.

Police attended to escort the vehicle to an area of safety before the rubbish was removed by workers using a mechanical digger.

The fire crews then damped down the rubbish to completely extinguish the flames.

The fire could have led to significant damage had it not been quickly contained by Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, with a battery thought to be the likely cause of the ignition.

Residents in Halton are now being urged not to dispose of batteries through household waste and recycling bins.

Instead, they should be disposed of at their nearest recycling centre or taken to the nearest battery recycling point.

Stef Nelson, the council’s executive member for environment and urban renewal, said: “Experience from around the UK shows the dangers of batteries in your household bins.

“This could have been a lot worse if refuse collectors and fire officers had not acted so quickly.”