ABOUT 60 patients were evacuated from the Royal Blackburn Hospital after a fire broke out in the early hours.

The fire started in a room on the third floor at about 1am, with smoke spreading to the adjoining rooms and wards.

MORE TOP STORIES:

No one was injured and the cause of the fire is still being investigated. It is not thought to have been started deliberately.

Four crews attended and were able to tackle the fire and smoke with extinguishers and portable fans.