Cyclists have warned "somebody could be killed" on a oil-covered Whitehaven junction which has already caused a number of injuries.

Sellafield workers say there were six accidents in one day last week and texted warnings to other colleagues about the T junction near the former fish factory at Moresby.

The accidents left one cyclist with fractured ribs and another with grazing and muscular damage to his shoulder.

Paul Kelly, a 41-year-old Sellafield worker from Moresby Parks, slipped on his 4am cycle to work and suffered arm and rib injuries.

He said: "Somebody is going to get killed on this junction. If someone starts sliding down here, they're coming out on to a busy road."

Tony Cueto, 39, a Moresby Parks cyclist and Sellafield worker, was on his way to work last week when he lost control of his bike at around 6.10am at the danger junction.

“It was like hitting black ice - my front wheel just gave way. Once your front wheel has gone, you’ve had it. It's terrifying,” he said. “It doesn’t look bad when it is dry, but you can see it when it spread across the road when it’s wet and feels like you’re riding on diesel.

“Any two-wheeled vehicle going over that is going to slip. If something is not done about it soon, there is going to be a serious accident.”

Mr Cueto’s slip left him with grazing and muscular damage to his shoulder. He contacted Cumbria Highways to report the accident straight away.

A week later, and Tony said his injuries are “absolute torture” when he lies in bed at night and said the incident has put him "on a bit of downer".

A Cumbria County Council spokesman said: "The council is aware of a spillage which affected a stretch of Moresby Road close to the site of the former fish factory. This spillage was contaminated with an oil-based substance, leaving a slippery road surface.

"The council has raised concerns to the land developer from which the spillage is leaking and this has been dealt with. The council has sanded the road on several occasions and erected slippery road warning signs in both directions.

"The only solution to permanently fix this issue is to resurface the road. The council is planning to action this as soon as possible."

However, the site's developers G & AM Lawson Ltd said it was "impossible" for the oil to have come from the factory as it was demolished a year ago.

Director, Mark Thomson said: "We are not doing anything wrong. I have invited Highways to come and have a look, because I'd like to see where they think fish oil is coming from - there's nothing left of the factory."

Mr Thomson believes a blocked gully on the corner means that surface water is building up on the road and collecting oil from passing cars.