A POLICE officer and a van driver were taken to hospital after a chemical spillage in the centre of Durham City yesterday.

The pair were treated at the city's University Hospital of North Durham for the effects of inhaling fumes of acetic anhydride and ethalanyline, which leaked out of a delivery van.

A further eight police officers and a number of Durham University students are understood to have gone to the hospital for check-ups after complaining of feeling unwell.

The corrosive liquid leaked out of two parcels - destined for an address on the Bowburn Industrial Estate - when the van stopped outside Durham University's student union building at Dunelm House, in New Elvet, at 1pm.

The normally busy road was closed for an hour and three-quarters and people in neighbouring buildings were advised to stay inside although none of the buildings were evacuated.

Some of the chemical spilled out of the van and on to the road and 25 firefighters, some wearing chemical protection suits, tackled the incident.

The parcels were put in a large drum and removed and the road was washed down to get rid of the chemicals.

A police spokesman said the van's 22-year-old driver, from Sunderland, smelt the fumes when he stopped in New Elvet and called the emergency services when he saw the chemicals leaking.

The 23-year-old police officer was first on the scene.

Emily Fieran-Reed, president of Durham Student Union, said: "You could definitely smell the chemicals.

"We had to close off the doors on level B and send people out of the doors on the top floor.

"We had to put signs on the door asking people to vacate the building quickly.

"I heard that the van driver and the policeman, who was with him, were taken to hospital as well as some people walking past and three from our building."

Police say they plan to send details of the incident to the Health and Safety Executive.

A police spokesman said some of the people who went to hospital to have a check-up did so after taking medical advice .