POTENTIALLY hazardous college chemicals led to bomb disposal experts conducting a controlled explosion in Stockton this morning.

Staff from Stockton Riverside College contacted police after becoming concerned about their store of the chemical compound 2,4-DNP (2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine).

The substance can become dangerous if not stored properly and could explode if allowed to dry out.

To properly dispose of the college’s stock of the chemical, bomb disposal experts carried out a low level explosion on wasteland near Stockton’s Infinity Bridge.

A spokeswoman for Stockton Riverside College said: “The college requested assistance from the police with the disposal of a small quantity of the chemical compound 2,4-DNP, a chemical commonly used in school and college science labs, after routine checks of our stocks showed signs it was starting to dry out.

“A low level controlled explosion was carried out on nearby wasteland. There was no risk to the public.”

The college joins a number of schools and institutions across the country who have summoned bomb disposal experts over their stores of the chemical, commonly used in lab experiments.

Last year, a Government warning was issued over the substance, saying: "The Department for Education would like to remind all schools and post-16 institutions of the importance of ensuring all chemicals used for practical science activities are stored safely."

Schools also received a reminder from the Consortium of Local Education Authorities for the Provision of Science Equipment as to how to correctly store the substance, which must be stored in a labelled jar, kept inside an outer jar and topped up with water as a precaution.