A YOUTH employed by carpet processors McKendrick and Wane was charged with starting a multi-million pound blaze which wrecked the factory.

A double-deck bus was sliced open like a sardine can when the driver attempted to take it under a low bridge at the Bottom of Willows Lane, Accrington.

The Hyndburn bus was carrying three passengers on the lower deck who escaped unhurt.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.