Crews to face 'blaze'.

THE emergency services will be deployed to tackle a serious fire at a chemical site this weekend - but the 'crisis' will be only an exercise.

Hexion Speciality Chemicals operate from the North West Industrial Estate in Peterlee, will be the scene of the 'fire'.

Under the COMAH (Control of Major Accident Hazard) regulations introduced in 1999, Hexion has to produce a plan to deal with emergencies on site and provide safety information to residents and businesses in the area.

And this coming Sunday morning the plan will be put to the test in an exercise involving police, the fire and rescue service, and Durham County Council.

Anyone driving through the area may notice fire tenders or police vehicles heading to the factory, or an increased presence on the A19.

The test on Sunday gets under way at 9.30am and is being co-ordinated by the County Durham and Darlington Civil Contingencies Unit (CCU). It takes place entirely on the industrial estate.