HOMES were evacuated and traffic around a North-East town was plunged into chaos after a major gas leak yesterday.

A 200-metre wide cordon was put up after a gas main feeding most of Middlesbrough was fractured.

The pipe was struck by a coping stone after it was dislodged by a mechanical digger working on a housing development on the former site of the town's General Hospital.

While Middlesbrough Council opened a rest centre for the families evacuated from seven homes in the area, other residents were told to stay indoors with their windows closed.

No one was injured in the incident and there was no danger to people in the area. But Cleveland Police urged drivers to be patient as roads were closed and major traffic delays rapidly deteriorated into gridlock

A force spokeswoman said: "We have been informed that the ongoing repairs are likely to go on until late tonight.

"It will take engineers more than three hours to reduce the pressure in order to ensure domestic supplies are not affected and then a further five hours to repair the pipe itself.''

The result of a 200-metre cordon was major traffic disruption to the Ayresome area of Middlesbrough and this was predicted to get worse as the day wore on and the rush hour traffic began.

The main problem was the closure of the Heywood Street junction with busy Newport roundabout.

The only alternative was to divert onto the A66 and then onto the A19 to Mandale Interchange, returning back into Middlesbrough towards Linthorpe.

Middlesbrough Council made a nearby neighbourhood centre ready to receive residents unable to return to their homes.

A Town Hall spokesman said: "Emergency plans have been put into effect and we are ready to respond as the situation develops.''

A spokesman for United Utilities called to the scene said: "It seems contractors have damaged the intermediate pressure main. We are at the moment in a situation of reducing the pressure in the main, to have a good look.''

The cordoned-off area was declared safe by engineers at 6.15pm last night. The roads closed to traffic were being gradually reopened by police throughout the night. A force spokesman said Ayresome Green Lane would remain closed because of its use by emergency vehicles.