A TANKER which was carrying 24 tonnes of liquid chocolate crashed on the A608 – forcing the road to be closed for more than six hours.

Firefighters said the lorry was on its way to a delivery when the driver lost control on a bend between Breadsall Hilltop and Morley.

Roadblocks and diversions were put in place near the road's two junctions with Lime Lane, after the crash at 9am yesterday.

Officers sent to recover the tanker were able to prevent the chocolate from leaking – but they still had to clear up about 400 litres of diesel, which had spilt across the carriageway.

Sean Wells, group manager at Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service, said the driver had been forced to crawl out of the bottom window but was not injured.

He said: "We're not sure of the cause of the incident but for some reason we think, as the driver has come around the bend, he has lost control.

"The diesel leaked across the road and a small amount went into the nearby watercourse, so we have taken measures to clear it.

"But we are warning drivers over the next few days to be extra vigilant when using this road because it may still be greasy."

Firefighters from Kingsway and Nottingham Road stations in Derby and from Ilkeston were called to the incident, as were officials from the Environment Agency.

The road was closed until the tanker was recovered. It was reopened by 3.15pm.

Among vehicles caught in the initial tailbacks was a bus carrying students to nearby Broomfield Hall.

A spokeswoman for the Derby College site said: "All staff managed to get in but there were some students who were not able to.

"Students on the bus which was caught in tailback were escorted to the college by the police but, otherwise, it was business as usual."

Mr Wells said the tanker contained 24 tonnes, or 40,000 litres, of heated chocolate.

A spokeswoman for Thorntons said it was understood the tanker was on its way to the Somercotes firm from supplier Barry Callebaut.

The vehicle was from national liquid food transporter Abbey Road Tanks.

No one from the firm was available to comment.

In 2008, on the same stretch of road, a crash killed four young people – Carl Holland, 21, Christopher Downes, 20, Hayley Valentine, 22, and mother-to-be Natalie Smith, 22.