River of red wine flows through Portuguese town after distillery accident

Footage shows the red wine flooding the winding roads of Lourenco do Bairro (Credit X / @AweInspireMe)

Winemakers were left drunk with astonishment after a distillery accident led to an estimated 2.2 million litres of red wine flowing freely down a Portuguese town's streets.

Video footage showed mystified residents watching on as a torrent of wine streamed down winding roads in Lourenco do Bairro.

Officials diverted the wine into a field to prevent it from contaminating a nearby river, local media reported.

The distillery company, Levira, took responsibility for the unusual accident, saying it was being "investigated by the competent authorities".

In a statement, the company said: "We are fully committed to covering the costs associated with cleaning up and repairing the damage, with teams ready to act immediately.

"We are committed to resolving this situation as quickly as possible."

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...