Tests being done on soil at circuit

Tests for possible contamination are being carried out on soil used to build a spectator's platform at a Norfolk race circuit.

Officers from the Environment Agency (EA) are analysing soil that is being used to create a bund to the north of Snetterton Race Circuit, near Thetford.

The EA took samples from the site on November 24 and contractors have cordoned off the batch of soil from which the samples were taken until it is given the all-clear.

Circuit manager Jamie Hopper said he believed the soil being tested had come from a site where there was both inert and contaminated soil. He said that the EA wanted to be certain that the two soils had not got mixed up - contaminating the inert soil used to build the bund.

But the contractors involved with building the bund say the tests are simply routine soil screening and have not been prompted by any contamination fears. They added that they had carried out their own tests on the soil from the batch in question and found it to be inert.

The bund will be used both as a platform for race spectators and to screen out noise from the circuit.

Mr Hopper said the tests were prompted by the nature of the site from which the soil had been taken. "Part of the site had been identified as being contaminated and had to go to a specialist treatment plant and the other part was inert," he said. "The Environment Agency wanted to make doubly sure it was not getting into the wrong place."

John Dennehy, accountant with Rory J Holbrook Tipper and Plant Hire, which is building the bund, said: "The Environment Agency is open to visit any site. There is no contaminant we are aware of in the soil and the EA has not advised us of anybody making a complaint."

Rita Penman, spokesman for the Environment Agency, said: "A routine inspection was carried out at the end of November. Some soil samples were taken and we are waiting for the results to come back," she said.