STUDIES into the effects of a major fire which levelled a chemical plant has concluded there will be no lasting environmental damage to the surrounding area.

Hundreds of people were evacuated from their homes for the night after emergency services imposed a half-mile exclusion zone around the Distillex plant on North Tyneside, when a fire broke out there on Friday, April 12.

The Environment Agency disclosed that results of air quality modelling following the fire indicated there would be no lasting impact on the environment.

Now results of soil sampling in the area have backed the original conclusion.

Environmental planning manager John Burns said: "Samples taken from soil and vegetation in areas affected by the smoke plume confirm that concentrations of combustion products are at, or well below, environmentally acceptable levels. This means that, although the smoke plume was very dramatic, there is no evidence of lasting environmental damage as a result of the incident."

The results of the agency's environmental studies have been shared with other interested organisations, including the local health authority and MPs. The agency is continuing to liaise with the Health and Safety Executive, which is leading the investigation into the fire.

The owners of the plant confirmed earlier this month they were selling up and leaving the region.

Distillex is to sell its North Shields site and start a new operation closer to the company's headquarters in Leyland, Lancashire.