A prank at a petrol station sparked a full scale emergency response when a hooligan sprayed a cashier with a fire extinguisher.

Police , paramedics and fire crews were scrambled to the Texaco garage in Old Trafford in the early hours of Sunday after the terrified member of staff was blasted with dry powder through a night pay window.

It is understood a man picked up the extinguisher from the forecourt before aiming the nozzle through the window and hosing the lone worker at around 6.50am.

The employee dialled 999, initially unaware what the substance was, fearing he could have been sprayed with a dangerous chemical.

The North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) sent a rapid response vehicle, an ambulance and members of the specially-trained Hazardous Area Response Team (HART).

Police and fire crews were also spotted by passers-by at the scene.

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An ambulance spokeswoman said the cashier, in his late 20s, had been sprayed and had to be cleaned and ‘decontaminated’.

A number of other people at the petrol station when the drama unfolded also had to be checked over by paramedics. No-one was hurt.

It is thought the incident was a prank.

When contacted by the M.E.N, a worker at the petrol station said it ‘wasn’t an emergency’ but declined to comment further.

Ambulance crews remained at the scene until 10am on Sunday morning, having spent three hours ensuring patients were unhurt and cleaned up.

A North West Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “We received a call from somebody who had been sprayed with an unknown substance and there was considerable cause for concern.

“Due to the unknown nature of the substance initially, a large scale response was required.

“Fortunately, it was discovered the man had been sprayed with a powder extinguisher and he was cleaned up by paramedics - as well as others at the scene at the time. We have alerted local walk-in centres in case people go in concerned about being sprayed by the substance.”