A FULL-SCALE emergency was declared after council workmen accidentally ruptured a gas main on the outskirts of Scarborough.

Cayton Low Road in the Eastfield area was closed for about three hours while the emergency services and gas supply firm Transco worked to avert an explosion.

Fifteen employees were evacuated from printers D H Greaves Ltd, and staff at a nearby school and at McCain frozen foods were also warned they may have to leave.

The drama began at 11.40am yesterday when Scarborough Borough Council workmen ruptured a medium pressure gas main, while digging up the road outside the Greaves printworks.

A Transco spokesman said: "My understanding is that the borough council's works and highways department were repairing the road and one of their JCBs unfortunately went through our pipe.

"Safety is our priority and, as a precaution, we evicted 15 people from Greaves printers."

The road reopened to traffic at about 3pm after repairs were completed.

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