A HUDDERSFIELD firm has been given a warning by the Environment Agency after a fuel leak.

Black Cat Fireworks, of Crosland Hill, were given an Improvement Notice by the Environment Agency after 3,000 litres of diesel escaped.

The red diesel is listed as a substance dangerous to the environment under the Control of Major Hazards (COMAH) Regulations 1999.

The notice has been issued to ensure that Black Cat locate the escaped diesel and carry out a clean-up.

An Environment Agency spokesman said: "The company is also required to ensure that all their other tanks containing such substances comply with the regulations governing the storage of COMAH materials.

"Red diesel and other similar oil-based products have the potential to cause serious environmental and accident damage, both by their contamination of land and water, and by the proximity of such flammable substances to fireworks."

Environment Agency officers who investigated the incident found the red diesel, which appeared to have leaked from a feed pipe, had been absorbed into the ground beneath the tank.

Other oil tanks on site were inspected and although bunded did not meet all the requirements for storage of hazardous substances.