Shoppers were left fearing for their health after black ash and grit rained down from a Lincoln factory.

The incident was apparently caused by a blockage in the boilers of a silicon hose factory based in Beevor Street, off Tritton Road.

Colin Turner, a Glas Weld windscreen repairer from North Hykeham, was working in the overflow car park of the nearby B&Q store when he noticed the large plume of black smoke coming over the road from James Dawson and Sons.

"The chimney was spitting out black rubbish that came down and covered cars and vans in the car park," he said.

"You would have thought it was snowing – it was that thick.

"It was black like soot and when you touched it - it felt like grit."

But B&Q duty manager Dave McGowan, said the store had not received any customer complaints.

"There's been no mention of it," he said.

Despite requests from the Echo, representatives of James Dawson Global Hose, which owns the factory, declined to comment.