Firefighters spent more than four hours clearing up after a chemical spill in a school classroom.

Two fire crews from Basildon and one from Billericay were called to Mayflower School, Stock Road, Billericay, at 2.30pm yesterday following the spillage of a small container of formaldehyde.

Children in the classroom and nearby rooms were evacuated while the firefighters dealt with the incident.

Headteacher Linda Bamford confirmed: "A small container of a sample preserved in the chemical formaldehyde was knocked over and spilled."

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