BROMPTON Ralph was at risk of an environmental disaster when a tanker carrying 7,500 litres of fuel overturned near the village church.

It is believed the tanker ran backwards before tipping over when the driver stopped to make a delivery just after 10am on Tuesday morning.

Emergency services raced to the scene in case any of the 4,500 litres of gas oil and 3,000 litres of kerosene spilled out of the stricken vehicle.

The first people on the scene were waste recycling operatives Robert Partington and Frank Richards.

"We couldn't see the driver at first - all we saw was a pair of gloves on the floor so we thought he might actually be trapped under the vehicle," said Mr Partington.

"I got my phone out to ring the emergency services and then we spotted the driver - he had walked up the lane a bit to try and get a signal on his mobile phone.

"He was pretty shaken and he had cut his hand but otherwise he was OK."

Mr Partington said he understood the driver had got out of his cab to check if he was at the right address when he heard the vehicle rolling backwards.

"It could have been much worse and the driver was lucky he wasn't more seriously injured."

A spokesman for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service confirmed no-one had been badly hurt in the incident.

Firefighters stood by while specialists were brought in to empty the tanker's contents before it was righted and recovered.