A MAN was rushed nearly 300 miles by air ambulance to a specialist burns unit in Essex after a gas explosion at a Colne car repair workshop.

The dramatic airlift took place following the blast at John Macadam and Son, in North Valley Road, at 7.45am on Thursday.

Three men were injured -- two employees of the workshop and a local milkman who was making a delivery to the premises.

The explosion happened in a container in a maintenance room, and is believed to have been caused by a leaking gas heater.

All three men were initially taken to Burnley General Hospital suffering from burns, but one man was transferred to the nearest intensive care bed available at a burns unit at the time - Broomfield Hospital in Essex.

The long journey would have taken more than five hours by road, but took one hour 25 minutes by air.

His condition was described as serious, but not life-threatening.

Another of the men was transferred to a specialist burns unit at Wythenshawe Hospital, in Manchester, where his condition is stable.

The least seriously injured of the three remains at Burnley General Hospital, where he is also stable.

Police, fire and ambulance crews were all called to the scene.

A police spokesman said: "Officers attended the scene and found three men who had suffered serious burns to their face and bodies. They were all taken to Burnley General Hospital."

Station officer Richard Taylor, station commander at Colne Fire Station, said the gas had built up and been ignited when the door was opened and a switch flicked on.

He added: "When they opened the door it's blown the doors back and they suffered burns to their hands, faces and throats.

"A passing policeman in a car up the main road felt the explosion. It was a fair bang.

"There was not that much for us to do but make sure the scene was safe."

The area was assessed by safety officers who judged there was no further risk of explosions.

The Health and Safety Executive, responsible for regulating risks to health and safety arising from work activities, is investigating the incident.

A spokesperson for Macadam said no damage had been caused to the premises, and the firm was open for business as usual.