CHEMICAL drums and waste metals which were dumped in a village 50 years ago have been uncovered.

Ellesmere Port and Neston Borough Council made the discovery at the site of a former tip in Smithy Lane, Willaston.

They found three former sand and gravel pits which have been filled with household and industrial waste, and also a number of chemical drums containing sludge.

The Environment Agency will now test all these to determine their potential level of toxicity, and organise their removal.

Residents living near the South Wirral tip, which is now a horse's paddock, will be kept fully informed of the findings.

Mike Whittaker, head of the council's Environmental Health Services, said: 'Under new legislation we can now investigate sites used as waste tips before 1990.

'The site we are currently studying at Smithy Lane was used as a tip in the 1950s and '60s.

'Samples of groundwater, soil and soil gas have been collected and analysed by consultants to help us identify the types of waste deposited at the site and establish the condition of the land.

'The findings confirm the presence of three former sand and gravel pits which have been filled with waste.' As well as the chemical drums, other substances found included 'insignificant concentrations' of lead and chronium.

Mr Whittaker added: 'Further investigation is now needed in certain parts of the site.

'And we need to determine the likely future impact on groundwater.

'The next phase of the investigation will be co-ordinated by the Environment Agency.

'The local Primary Care Trust has also been kept informed at every stage.'

He said residents have been kept upto-date with developments at the site by post.

Mr Whittaker added: 'We thank them for their support.

'We are keen the study should answer all our questions and clear up any concerns people living nearby may have about the site.'

Ralph Ryder, from Ellesmere Port, is a member of Communities against Toxics, a coalition of 100 environmental groups throughout UK.

He supplies people with information on chemical compounds, and said: 'It's typical of the total irresponsibility of people in the past to just dump things like this.'