A half-mile exclusion zone was thrown around a chemical plant this evening (Friday) after a huge explosion at a chemical plant.

Hundreds of homes were evacuated as the fire raged, filling the sky with acrid black smoke.

Flames shot 150ft into the air, sending chemical barrels soaring high into the sky.

The blaze began at 3.30pm when the roar of an explosion rocked the streets around the Distillex chemical plant, North Shields, North Tyneside.

It is the second time this year the chemical recycling plant has been at the centre of a safety alert.

Tyne and Wear fire brigade sent 10 fire appliances to the blast and people were urged to flee the area.

The flames and smoke could be seen 10 miles away in Sunderland and parts of County Durham.

A Northumbria Police spokeswoman said: "We are advising people within a half mile radius of the factory to leave their homes and go to the nearest public building.

"Our advice is that people gather in hte public library at North Shields or the Beacon Community Centre.

"The Metro rail system had been closed in the area and we are asking peole returning from work to stay away from the area.

"Smoke is a major problem. It has been drifting across the Tyne towards South Tyneside and we are advising people to keep their doors and windows closed.

"We need people outside the area to go home and let their relatives know where they are."

Police and ambulance services said there were no reports of casualties but warned that the smoke drifting across the Tyne could be harmful.

Bus driver Steve Thompson, 48, lives near the scene.

As he prepared to leave his home he said: "I have never seen anything like it, flames were rushing 150ft into the air.

"Chemical barrels were being blasted into the sky and thick black smoke started pouring up from the plant.

"The smoke was blocking out the sunlight and the town seemed to grow darker.

"It is a massive fiore and the smoke is very acrid, it is drifting in the direction of people's homes.

"I closed the doors and windows and hoped for the best."

Alan Walker, 23, of North Shields, said: "The flames were shooting above the town, it was spectacular but frightening.

"Everyone in the streets nearest to the plant were getting out of their houses as quickly as they could."

On January, 31, there was a chemical leak at Distillex which forced the evacuation of nearby homes.

At the time Peter Murphy, a director of the firm, said there had been a small release of non-flammable mthylene chloride, which had disperased quickly.

He said: "We have successfully processed a wide range of solvents at the site for 10 years and we are not clear why, on this occasion, the process did not run satisfactorily."

The Health and Safety Executive were called in and began an enquiry into the leak to find whether safety procedures needed to be reviewed.

Mark James, 26, of North Shields, said: "This is the second incident involving this company in a short space of time.

"We need to be told whether there is a problem her and whether people are safe living near the plant."