STAFF from the BBC Radio Lancashire building in Blackburn were evacuated when an electricity generator burst into flames.

Fire crews were called to the building in Darwen Street at 3pm yesterday.

The generator was being used after a power cut which left businesses in Blackburn town centre without electricity.

Barclays Bank staff were sent home after the power cut forced the closure of the branch and left the building without heat or light at lunchtime.

Other businesses in the area, including the Zybar pub on the corner of Market Street Lane, also lost power for several hours.

Both were provided with a generator by United Utilities whose engineers were called in to fix the fault.

Margo Grimshaw, the owner of the Zybar and the nearby NeverNeverland nightclub, said there had been problems for the past two months.

She added: "We have been experiencing difficulties on and off for a while.

"The last time it happened was on Sunday night when the power went and we struggled very badly."

A spokesman for United Utiliies said: "We received a report of a fault in the underground supply early yesterday and by lunchtime we had brought in generators for those businesses that required them."