THREE workers were taken to hospital following a chemical leak on Teesside.

They suffered breathing difficulties because of a chemical cloud, caused when 1,000 litres of acetophenone escaped.

Security man Peter Gaffney said yesterday: "It was just like a white cloud; it came over like a mist and all of a sudden there was this strong smell.''

The men who were taken to hospital were working outside at engineering plant Lionweld Kennedy, in Hartlepool's Tofts Road West.

"We all had a tightness in our chests,'' said Mr Gaffney.

"We noticed all these droplets on the windows and wondered where this 'rain' had come from. It left stains and some of the lads have had to wash their cars."

Health and Safety officials are investigating the leak at Baker Petrolyte, 300 yards away from where the men, who were later discharged from hospital, were working.

Peter Wilkinson, works manager at Baker Petrolyte, said the liquid did not leave his works site.

He said: "One of our reactors over-pressured. Some of the material was released into the ventilation system and affected some people at an engineering works 300 yards from us.

"We are currently investigating what caused the system to over-pressure."

Acetophenone is an oil well stimulator, easing the passage of oil through crevices in bedrock. No one at Baker Petrolyte was affected by the release.

Cleveland firefighters were at the site for an hour-and-a-quarter and gave the injured men first aid until the arrival of the ambulance.