School evacuated over gas smell

A primary school in Lancashire has been evacuated as a precaution following a suspected gas leak.

Children at Balladen Community Primary School in Rawtenstall have been sent home while an investigation is carried out into the source.

Staff raised the alarm when a strong smell of gas was detected outside the building.

Head teacher Peter Sumner told the BBC that parents were being contacted to come and pick up their children.

"We just had a very strong smell of gas outside the school so we thought we'd better take an absolute precaution and evacuated the school," he said.

"We're now asking parents, if they can, to come and pick up their children because we're not sure how long it will be."