WORK to clear a major spill on a North-East road has continued.

The A1231 eastbound was closed on Thursday after a spillage along a half mile section of around two tonnes of a non-hazardous by product of the leather tanning process.

Due to the nature and quantity of the material involved and the extent and complexity of the recovery operation, the company which owns the HGV which spilled its load brought in a specialist company to carry out the clean-up operation.

Work to remove the fatty deposits, described as having a ‘lard-like’ consistency, continued throughout the weekend but the surface remains slippery.

Works to allow the carriageway of the A1231 to reopen between the Mill House roundabout and the A182 Washington Highway continued yesterday.

Cllr Amy Wilson, Sunderland City Council Cabinet Member, said she hoped “skid resistance tests” could be carried out today as the authority continued to “work on a solution”.

She said: “This is a critical link in our network so we are continuing to work on a solution that will allow us to reopen the road safely as soon as is possible.

“But the substance that was spilled is a by-product of the leather tanning process, which is primarily made up of the fatty waste of rendered cattle and is proving extremely difficult to remove.

“Despite extensive work over the weekend and some progress being made, the road remains slippery and isn’t safe to drive on.

“Work has continued today (Monday) with the aim of getting to a position where skid resistance tests can be carried out on the cleaned surface tomorrow morning to establish if the road is safe to reopen.

“We completely understand the inconvenience for all those who use the road on a daily basis but public safety has to be paramount and we can’t allow it to reopen until we are satisfied that it is safe to do so.”