West Midlands Police are investigating a diesel spillage which they believe was caused when an oil pipe was drilled to access fuel.

Diesel was spilled onto Forge Lane near Sandwell Valley Country Park, threatening to contaminate local parkland and leading police to close nearby roads.

Forge Lane was closed between Newton Road and Birmingham Road while the Environmental Health Agency began a clean-up operation.

The spillage happened in the early hours of Tuesday April 26, with parts of several nearby roads closed for most of the day.

West Midlands Police said the spillage threatened to contaminate local parkland and that early indications suggested that a pipe was deliberately drilled to access the diesel.

A West Midlands Police spokeswoman said: “Police are investigating the cause of a diesel spillage in Sandwell in the early hours of this morning. Early indications are that a pipe was deliberately drilled to access the fuel, which threatened to contaminate local parkland.

“Local road closures were put in place while the Environmental Health Agency began a clean-up operation.”

The clean-up is complete, but the road remains closed while police continue their investigations.