Chemical fumes scare shuts Wimbledon Leisure Centre

More than 100 people have been evacuated from a leisure centre after breathing in chemical fumes.

A man and a child were taken to hospital and five others treated at Wimbledon Leisure Centre after two chemicals were accidentally mixed together, London Fire Brigade said.

The building on Latimer Road was closed and 130 people evacuated to a nearby school just after 10:15 BST.

Police cordoned off the street which reopened at 14:00 BST.

Firefighters said hydrochloric acid and sodium hypochlorite were mixed together, making chlorine gas.

GLL, which runs the facility, said the mistake was "immediately recognised" and the leisure centre was evacuated as a precaution.

Alex Perry was putting his belongings into a locker at the centre when it was evacuated, giving people "minutes" to get out, he said.

He added: "Kids were soaking wet and going out on to the street with their swimming costumes on shivering."

A GLL spokeswoman said: "A member of staff at Wimbledon Leisure Centre accidentally mixed pool chemicals in a holding tank, the combination of which had the potential to create noxious vapours."

The site could reopen by tomorrow, she added.