Gas leak sparks evacuation at luxury hotel

More than 100 guests, including a wedding party, had to be evacuated from a luxury hotel after a leak of deadly chlorine gas.

The accident happened at Matfen Hall hotel in Northumberland when contractors had been working on a chlorine tank, which feeds the swimming pool.

It is believed a chemical the workmen were using reacted with some chlorine that had been left in the tank, causing the leak, which triggered the hotel fire alarms.

The guests were ushered outside, while fire crews used fans to ventilate the hotel.

The incident happened at 12.30pm on Thursday and a wedding ceremony, which had been due to start at 2pm, had to be delayed for three hours.

General manager David Hunter said: "It was very difficult for everyone but the guests were very co-operative and fortunately nobody was hurt. Everything is now back to normal."

Matfen Hall, which has 53 bedrooms and an 18-hole golf course, is a former stately home, which was converted into a hotel in 1999.

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By Nigel Green

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