TWO Canvey campaigners will demand an independent inquiry into a gas spillage at the island’s Calor gas terminal when they meet with a senior Government minister.

George Whatley and Steve Sawkins, of the People Against Methane Group, will meet with Lord Bill McKenzie, the minister responsible for health and safety, on Monday to quiz him over last October’s leak.

The Government claims 163-tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas were lost as gas was piped from a cargo vessel to storage tanks at the depot.

But Calor said only 17 tonnes of gas escaped, while the rest was trapped in a pipeline after a shut-off valve was triggered. The campaigners fear the real amount of gas leaked is closer to the Government’s figure.

Mr Whatley said: “I will be calling for a full government investigation. I feel we were one spark away from another Buncefield, but this time it would have cost a lot of lives.”

Andrew Ford, corporate affairs manager for Calor, said: "We have co-operated fully with the Health and Safety Executive in their ongoing inquiry and continue to do so.

“We believe the right course of action is to let this process carry on and we would like to see a speedy issuing of a report.”