A school was cordoned off when a lorry loaded with dangerous chemicals caught fire.

Millbrook Square, off Main Street in Grove, was sealed off for several hours after the delivery lorry was badly damaged in a mystery blaze.

The truck was carrying containers of potentially-lethal laboratory chemicals and acids.

School Lane was immediately sealed off, isolating Old Mill Hall, several homes and Millbrook Primary School, where lessons continued as normal.

Alldays supermarket and several other businesses were evacuated. The blaze yesterday was put out within minutes, but the burned-out van was cordoned off for several hours.

It was only removed last night after blackened debris had been examined by the Environment Agency.

Firefighters hosed out the shell before the truck was towed away. They also flushed out drains, which had been blocked to prevent any chemicals leaking into the nearby Letcombe Brook.

Assistant Divisional Officer Tony Prosser said the fire may have started spontaneously.

Thames Valley Police are sending a report to the Health and Safety Executive to investigate the incident.

The drama started just after 2pm when driver Alan Garrett, 33, stopped to deliver hairspray at a chemist's shop.

He told the Oxford Mail: "I walked around the back and could hear bangs from inside. When I opened the doors, black smoke poured out and I could see flames on one side.

Mr Garrett said he had only been driving for the company, TBT Couriers, for two weeks, and added: "It's not been my lucky week. "Last week I was delivering to a pumping station at Letcombe Bassett on the other side of Wantage and got bogged down in a field trying to turn round.

"I was stuck for several hours until a farmer finally towed me out. Now this has happened."

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