ABOUT 150 barrels containing mystery industrial waste have been dug up near a Chard housing estate.
The shock discovery was on land opposite Lower Touches, where developers are prep-aring to build 24 new homes.
The site is just yards from a children's play area and although the barrels are now nearly empty, environmental health officers at South Somerset District Council admit they don't yet know what the residue is.
The rusty, earth-covered stack has been fenced off, but the News was easily able to access the site earlier this week.
District council spokesman Tegwyn Jones said: "Our best guess is that it's bitumen, a roofing tar.
"We've taken samples, which have been sent off for analysis. Within two weeks, we'll know what this substance is, and how it is going to be removed.
"If it is bitumen, then it poses a risk to people, but it's a fairly low-grade risk.
"The barrels will now be put in skips and contained on site."
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