most of the potentially lethal chemicals left on the West Wilts Trading Estate by a controversial chemical waste reprocessing firm will be cleared by mid-December, says the consultants appointed to lead the clear-up operation.

Consultants firm Monitor Environmental which was appointed to clear the 6,000 rusty chemical drums announced this week that 50 to 60 per cent will be cleared by the middle of next month.

Senior project manager David Knight said: "We are pleased with the progress we are making and are steadily removing containers from the site."

Premiere Environmental, the company which left the drums on the site when it ceased trading in July of this year was at the centre of a series of safety scares during the 1990's.