Around 350 tonnes of sulphuric acid leaked from a broken pipe at the former Marchon plant in Whitehaven in October 2002.

On Thursday Carlisle Crown Court heard details from the Environment Agency.

Former factory operator Rhodia UK admitted causing the leak and Huntsman pleaded guilty to not properly maintaining the site and pipeline.

In a statement after the hearing, Rhodia UK apologised for the incident.

The company said it happened when a pipe carrying acid between a storage tank and Huntsman's manufacturing plant failed.

Health and safety

Back-up procedures also failed to contain the spill, allowing some of the acid to reach the environment.

David Hodgson, Rhodia's UK director of health, safety and environment, said: "Rhodia very much regrets this incident.

"It is not representative of the high standards of health safety and environmental performance which we strive to achieve at our operating sites.

"Although in this case impact on the environment was limited by the rapid response by both companies, we realise that such incidents are unacceptable.

"Both Rhodia and Huntsman have cooperated fully with the Environment Agency during the incident itself and the clean-up and investigation which followed."

The former Marchon factory, which closed in December 2001 with the loss of 120 jobs, produced food phosphates and detergents for more than 50 years.