Giant brewery vessels travelling from Swadlincote are set to cause major traffic disruption next week.

Officers from Derbyshire police will be helping to escort two of the giant vats from Swadlincote, through Burton and Derby and on to the M1 at junction 28.

The exact route has not yet been decided upon but it will include some of the A38 as well as some of the A444. The vessels, which will be empty when they are transported, will be heading from a business in Cadley Hill Road, Swadlincote and head to North Yorkshire to be used in the brewery business.

The force said the massive brewery vessels - similar to the ones that were escorted to the Molson Coors Brewery in Burton last year - will be travelling from about 9am on Tuesday, January 23, just after the early morning rush-hour traffic has subsided.

The vessels have been produced and tested at Able Engineering, in Cadley Hill Road, Swadlincote. The company won the contract to build the vessels over several others from across the UK and Europe.

Steve McGuinness, 58, engineering manager, at the firm said: "Two brewing vessels will leaving our warehouse and heading for the Molson Coors brewery in Tadcaster in North Yorkshire.

"They are both empty and will be used to store beer at the brewery when they arrive."

Due to their size, officers will be holding back traffic at locations along the route for short periods of time so the haulage vehicles carrying the the vessels can pass through.

A spokesman for Derbyshire police said: "Our officers regularly work with haulage firms to help escort them safely through areas where they might need our help.

The brewery vessels being transported through Burton last year

"Although we know this might cause a disruption for motorists, we're doing it so road users are safe while the convoy travels on its route.

"We'll be able to go into more detail about the route nearer the time but we wanted to give drivers as much notice as possible."

He added that the main focus will be on causing minimum amount of disruption to traffic, using only suitable roads for the manoeuvring and transportation of such sizeable vessels.

This means that it cannot be done at night as it involves too much risk due to poor visibility.

Six police officers will be involved in escorting the the two vessels, with officers in a police car and others part of a police motorbike escort.