The UK government is set to pay out tens of millions of pounds to restart production of carbon dioxide at a key plant in the UK amid fears over food supplies and the nuclear industry.

The government will meet the full operating costs to run CF Industries' Teesside plant for three weeks, reports BBC.

US-owned CF Industries recently shut two sites that produce 60% of the UK's commercial carbon dioxide supplies.

The plant in Billingham will need up to three days to start producing new CO2.