COWDENBEATH MSP Annabelle Ewing has expressed her anger at the ‘unplanned flaring’ emanating from the Fife Ethylene Plant at Mossmorran throughout Sunday and overnight into Monday.

The flaring was the result of a compressor failure at the plant.

Ms Ewing said: “This is utterly unacceptable. My constituents are totally fed up and trust in both ExxonMobil and SEPA is eroding fast going into winter. "Are we to expect that every time there is a severe weather event there will be unplanned elevated flaring.

“We need to hear from Exxon what preventative measures - if any – they took in advance of what was a well forecast storm?

“I asked SEPA whether the Health and Safety Executive has been advised but I got no reply.

“I have now asked SEPA to arrange a telephone conference and can assure my constituents that they will be left in no doubt whatsoever about what I think about this situation.”

Plant boss Jacob McAlister said on Monday: "Our engineers have been progressing with the replacement of a faulty part in our compressor, and will then move to safely re-start.

"During this time, we will continue working to minimise elevated flaring wherever possible. We understand that our elevated flare can cause frustration, but it ensures we maintain safe operations and is not something we would ever use without good reason".