A WORRIED mother says she’s been left with unanswered questions after an oil spill at Stanlow’s Essar refinery.

Dozens of cars, buildings and even gravestones at a nearby cemetery were covered in oil after the spill last Tuesday, forcing Essar to pay for a major clean-up.

But now some residents in the area, including 27-year-old full-time mum Emma Powell, say they are concerned about the potential health risk

Miss Powell, of Joseph Groome Towers, who has a toddler son, said she was ‘extremely worried’.

“I can’t help but worry about our health after this. I really am quite concerned,” she said.

“That day there were oil marks all over the ground and all over the pram wheels, which my son touches frequently, and I just don’t know what’s in it.

“He suffers from asthma and I had to stop him putting his fingers in his mouth. The window was open too, so it could have been even worse.

“I don’t know if it’s related to the oil but I have noticed my chest is tighter since last week and I’m wheezing a lot, and others have said the same.”

Essar said steam was inadvertently released from a storage tank containing long residue – a heavy liquid oil product manufactured in the distillation of crude oil on site.

An Essar spokesman said: “We can understand people’s concerns but this is not a health issue, it’s a clean-up issue.

“We deeply regret this incident and are doing our utmost to put things right.”

Miss Powell, whose partner’s car was covered in drops of oil, is also concerned it could be permanently ruined after two cleaning attempts by Essar failed to get rid of the oil marks completely.

“The marks are still there so Essar have offered to wax and polish it next week,” she said.

“I’m not slagging off Essar because I do think they’ve been really good coming out and cleaning up but I won’t be happy if the car is still stained especially since we recently got it resprayed.”

Another resident, a professional gardener, had hundreds of plants destroyed in the oil spill, leaving him around £600 out of pocket.

He said: “I grow a range of colourful shrubs and then sell them at car boot sales.

“When I add up the cost of the plants as well as my losses, it’s worth hundreds and I’ve rang Essar but they haven’t yet got back to me.

“I do sympathise with them because I know these things happen and they’ve been quite good so far but all my beautiful flowers have died and it’s just a massive loss to me.”

In a statement from Essar which described the substance as a ‘heavy, liquid oil from the distillation process on site’, a spokesman said: “Cleaning crews were still in place over the weekend and our car wash facility is still open to anyone who needs it.  Our response staff are also on standby to take calls and visit people if required.

“A loss adjustor has also been appointed and can deal with claims that may arise.

“Most people who have called us have been very understanding and we’re grateful for their sympathetic response following what was an unusual occurrence for us.”

The Stanlow helpline  is 0151 355 3846 or  email securitycontrol@stanlowrefinery.co.uk