A number of homes have been evacuated just days before Christmas after a gas leak in Edge Hill.
Merseyside Police and Cadent were called to Tunnel Road between Wavertree Road and Smithdown Road at around 3.50pm on Monday, December 20 following reports of a strong smell of gas.
Once at the scene police closed the road in both directions as a precaution while Cadent investigated the source of the smell.
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Workers from Cadent, which manages the gas distribution network in Merseyside, said they believe the smell is being caused by damage to an underground gas main.
A spokesperson said: “We are investigating the source of a smell of gas and, as a safety precaution, have asked Merseyside Police to close the road.
"We suspect there is damage to an underground gas main. Our teams are on-site now ready to fix this, once it is confirmed that nearby electricity cables are first isolated.
"We know this is not ideal but safety is always our number one priority. We are grateful for your patience while we work on this.”
Police and Cadent have also evacuated a number of properties in the area just five days before Christmas.
Merseyside Police said it's unclear how long people will be out of their homes.
A force spokesperson said: "Officers were called at around 3.45pm after reports of a leak which is thought to be underground and affecting a number of properties.
"A cordon has been put in place as a precautionary measure whilst the incident is ongoing.
"A small number of houses have been evacuated as a precautionary measure and road closures have been put in place on Durning Road, Wavertree Road and Spekeland Tunnel.
"There is no estimated time for the removal of the road closures and evacuations. Cadent currently has engineers on-site to make everything safe and carry out any repairs.
"Officers would like to thank members of the public and motorists for their co-operation at this time."
Traffic has been affected by the road closures with Merseytravel reporting disruption and delays on its network.
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