THIRTY firefighters tackled a large blaze at a Chorley garage today.

Eight fire crews and an aerial platform ladder were turned out to the Yarrow Bridge Garage, Bolton Road.

A fire service spokesman said the alarm was raised at 2.20pm, and when fire crews arrived they found the car showroom ‘well alight’.

There were no reports of anyone injured.

Eyewitness Brian Straw, who was driving close to the scene, said: “The road was blocked at the bottom of Carr Lane, and Bolton Road was partially sealed off.

“I could see a large amount of smoke billowing into the sky and the flames were intense. It looked like a major incident.”

Another witness, who did not want to be named, said: “The garage looks like it has been badly damaged, and a lot of the vehicles inside and out have been affected.

“It looked like the Yarrow Bridge pub next door had been evacuated too as all the doors were shut.”

It is understood the Yarrow Bridge Garage, which has been in business for many years, employs five people.

When the blaze started, four staff are thought to have been working at the site.

As well as trading in second-hand cars, it is also a repair and service garage.

During the evening rush hour, the A6 Bolton Road near the garage remained sealed off, with vehicles diverted to Myles Standish Way and Carr Lane.

The fire service has begun an investigation into the cause of the blaze.

No-one was available to comment from the garage.

The cause of the blaze was not known tonight.