A HUNDRED gallons of heating oil spilled into the River Skerne in Darlington after thieves stole the tap off a fuel tank.

A kilometre long slick stretches along the Skerne from Great Burdon to the Haughton Road bridge.

The Environment Agency is working to control the situation, and has installed absorbent 'booms' at the Haughton Road bridge to contain the oil.

Following agency checks, it is thought the impact of the incident on local wildlife is not severe.

The thieves struck in the early hours of Tuesday morning, sawing off brass taps and ripping out copper piping from J.J. Blair's nursery on Barmpton Lane. They also targeted two nearby allotments.

Although the thieves left water gushing from standpipes, causing localised flooding, the oil spillage has had far more serious consequences.

The contents of the tank are thought to have spilled across an adjacent car park, before seeping into a field drain, and then into the Skerne.

A spokeswoman for the Environment Agency said it was not thought that fish and wildfowl would be too seriously affected.

She said: "It should pass over fish, and wildfowl would normally get out of the way. We are not seeing any major environmental impact."

Agency specialists will continue to check the river on a daily basis to ensure the booms are working and that the environment is coping.

Robin Blair, of J.J. Blair's nursery, said: "I know scrap prices have gone up, but for what they've got I would have thought it was a lot more effort than it was worth. I hope they got covered in diesel oil while they were on."

Mr Blair said many of the taps were imperial units, meaning replacements were more difficult, and more costly, to buy.

Meanwhile, officers are looking at whether the incident was connected with the discovery of a burning car nearby, on Barmpton Lane, on Tuesday morning. It is thought the car was used in a burglary at Eskdale Street, in Darlington, overnight on Monday.

Fire crews were quick to extinguish the flames, but the car had sustained extensive damage and could not be definitively identified.

DC Jim Honeyman, of Darlington police, said it was thought the car was a silver Fiat Stilo.

He added: "Unfortunately the car was a total burnout, so identification isn't possible, although the general shape and style is consistent with the Stilo.

"If anybody has any information regarding who stole the vehicle, or anyone who may have seen it between 10.30pm on Monday night and 8am on Tuesday should get in touch."

Anyone with any information about any of the events should contact Darlington police on 0345-6060365 or Crimestoppers on 0800-555-111.