TWO homes were evacuated when a tank full of kerosene burst in what was treated as a chemical spill.

Specialist teams were called out to deal with the 'hazardous materials' incident at 11.25am.

The leak came from a tank used for heating equipment at a bungalow in Lansdowne Road, Atherton.

Fire crews from Atherton and Bolton and an environmental protection unit from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) tackled the aftermath of the rupture and managed to contained to a residential garden.

GMFRS Station Manager Ady Taylor, who is in charge of the incident, said: "We are dealing with an incident involving around 1,000 litres of kerosene that has soaked into the ground and surrounding area when the tank it was in burst.

"We are working closely with other organisations, including United Utilities and the local authority, to clean up the leak and keep people safe.

"Two homes have been evacuated on Lansdowne Road while the incident is being dealt with and our cordon means that people can’t access the road."

No injurIes were caused by the leak and Lansdowne Road was closed.

A North West Ambulance Service spokeswoman said the 999 call about the chemical spill came in at 11.35am.

"We have attended and there’s still a team there just as a precaution although nobody has been treated yet," she said.

A GMP spokesman said: "We were called at 11.40am to Lansdowne Road, Over Hulton.

"The fire service was notified of a leak coming from a tank used for heating equipment."