FIRE services across the borough were faced with a steady stream of callouts on their busiest night of the year.

Crews from Bolton, Farnworth and Horwich, spent Saturday night tackling out of control bonfires and extinguishing numerous blazes throughout the town.

Four engines from Bolton were called out to a blaze which ripped through the roof of a disused mill after arsonists set fire to a pile of tyres next to the building.

Crews spent ten hours battling the inferno at Halliwell Mill, in Bertha Street, which started at about 11.30pm.

When firefighters arrived they also found a Peugeot car parked nearby the building in flames.

Bolton Central watch manager, Carson Boyle said: “We had calls of a fire in the grounds of the mill.

“When we arrived it was a car that was set on fire but when we did a search of the rest of the mill we found a quantity of tyres on the other side of the mills.

“They went alight and quickly spread into the roof. We soon realised it was a much bigger job and called in other engines.

“We used a hydraulic platform to tackle the fire from above and get into the roof.

“It was in danger of spreading even further but thankfully we were able to force entry into the units affected and suppress the fire.

“We got into the loft area of one unit and managed to control it but we still have one engine there and will be passing over to the daytime crews.

“It was clearly a deliberate ignition and police are investigating.

“It was understandably an extremely busy night for us and quite hectic going from one fire to another.

“There were quite a few out of control bonfires which we attended and advised people on how to control them.

“We removed a lot of wood and dampened them down.”

Crews from Bolton were also called to Starcliffe Street, at about 7.10pm to reports of trees and bushes on fire opposite houses.

They also tackled an unattended bonfire near the old railway line in Morris Green Lane at 6.50pm.

Watch manager Keith Hadley, at Bolton North station, said: “A lot of people were calling in because children were having bonfires without any adults around.

“A lot of the time we attended and the kids would run off. In some cases it would have been okay to offer them advice on how to keep them under control and leave them to enjoy the evening, although in other cases they were dangerous and needed putting out.”

Firefighters attended four out of control bonfires at Eagley Brow at 7.30pm, The Stray in Hall i’ th’ Wood at 9pm, Clay Street, Bolton, at 10pm and Hind Street, Bolton, at 11pm.

Mr Hadley said the blaze in Clay Street, was started by a group of youths next to a play area, who also set fire to play equipment, destroying a seesaw.