Police and fire crew cordoned off the entire area and a public safety incident was declared after a chemical leak was found at Oxford Ice Rink.

The public were warned to avoid part of the city centre after five fire engines and multiple police cars swarmed the attraction with blue lights running.

Oxfordshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service were called to reports of a chemical leak at the ice rink on Oxpens Road at 9.35am yesterday morning (Tuesday, August 20).

Four fire engines from Rewley Road, Abingdon, Kidlington and Slade Park fire stations attended the incident. 

READ MORE: Public warned to avoid city centre following chemical leak

A100-metre cordon was set up around the area with police officers positioned at points on the adjacent green and in the woods.

Police tape was put up across nearby bridges over the River Thames.

A "decontamination and environmental protection unit" was among the vehicles at the scene. 

Thames Valley Police confirmed at around 12.20pm that officers had been withdrawn as the chemical incident no longer posed a threat to the public.

However, some fire and rescue crews remained on site as a precaution.

The fire service later confirmed the leak was in the plant room and not in the public area.

The rink had already been closed to the public from last Saturday (August 17) for two weeks (until Friday, August 30) for works to relay the ice.

READ MORE: Co-op supermarket shop worker bitten by customer

The rink has been operated by More Leisure Community Trust (MLCT) in partnership with Serco Leisure and on behalf of Oxford City Council, since March.

MLCT confirmed the substance to be ammonia.

A More Leisure Community Trust spokesperson said: “We can confirm that a minor ammonia leak occurred at Oxford Ice Rink earlier today.

"The cause of the leak has been identified as a loose valve in the plant room, which has now been fixed.

“As the site is currently closed for planned work to improve the facility by relaying a new ice pad, customers were not affected by the leak.

“Staff at the ice rink were evacuated as a precaution while the incident was investigated, but at no point were any employees in danger.

"Also as a precaution, members of the emergency services were in attendance, and we would like to thank them for their prompt response.

“We now look forward to reopening the centre with brand-new relayed ice, on August 30 as planned.”