"Hazardous material" that sparked a major emergency services operation which saw the closure of a Wirral shopping centre yesterday evening turned out to be - cat litter!

Ambulances, four fire engines, specialist chemical treatment trucks and several police cars raced to the scene after a report from the public that "mercury" had been discovered in Liscard town centre.

Fire fighters and police cordoned off Liscard precinct and warned curious passers-by to keep well away from the area.

However, this morning a spokesman revealed that overnight lab tests showed the green substance to be common or garden cat litter.