RESIDENTS have described the dramatic moment when they were evacuated from their homes due to a fire at a nearby factory.

Firefighters tackling the blaze at Wardle Storeys, Earby decided to move people from 30 homes amid fears the factory chimney could collapse.

They were called to Grove Mill, off Skipton Road, at 12.50am yesterday after a fire broke out in a machine making synthetic leather coatings for the car industry.

Crews put out the fire but it spread to a flue containing oil products ,causing toxic, black smoke to come out of the chimney.

Residents were moved from homes in Shuttleworth Street and Waddington Street just after 6am when it was feared the chimney could overheat and collapse.

Ernest and Jean Waugh, 59 and 60, of Shuttleworth Street, stayed at their son Neil's house in Stoneybank Road, Earby, after they were evacuated.

Mr Waugh said: "The firefighters knocked on the door saying go to the bottom of the street there is an emergency.

"There was a lot of smoke coming out of the chimney and it was blowing across the street.

"Nobody was injured and the fire service did an excellent job."

Mike Caffrey, 45, of Shuttleworth Street, said he was woken about 6.20am.

The Burnley and Pendle bus driver said: "I saw smoke coming out of the chimney and thought wow' it was quite event.

"Thick, black smoke was coming out of the chimney, there were loads of people in the street being evacuated by the fire crews."

Bosses at Wardle Storeys are working with the Health and Safety Executive to establish how the blaze started.

Managing director Alun Hall said: "We will carry out a full investigation in conjunction with the relevant authorities.

"The evacuation was nothing to do with a fire or pollution risk it was because of the chimney.

"I would like to thank employees for acting swiftly and the fire service for minimising damage.

"The fire was in the spreading department which is part of many operations here.

"It is an inconvenience but not business critical."

Firefighters spent about four hours tackling the blaze in the flue and another couple of hours damping down and making sure no oil had flowed into a nearby beck.

No roads were but residents were asked to keep doors and windows shut.

People were allowed home just after 9am.