INVESTIGATIONS into the cause of a large fire which ruined a 17th century pub are still on-going, the fire service said.

Customers and staff were evacuated from The Sirloin pub after a large blaze took hold on Saturday at around 8pm.

The pub, in Station Road, Hoghton, was badly damaged with the majority of its roof destroyed.

Fire crews battled with the blaze for several hours and once fire services finished in the early hours of Sunday morning they erected a large metal fence around the pub.

Pubgoer Reuben Boyd, who lives on nearby Rosewood Avenue, said he was distraught when he saw the damage yesterday.

He said: "We drove down this road on Saturday to go home and the fire service wouldn't let us get anywhere near it.

"There was so much smoke and the fire service had water pipes running all the way up the road.

"The owner will be devastated, it was a beautiful pub.

"We had lots of good times in this pub, the guy who owns it took it over from his dad."

Six crews were scrambled to the pub as they battled to get the flames under control.

Lancashire Fire and Rescue's stinger unit and aerial ladder platform were also used before the operation was scaled back at about 10pm.

A Fowler Close resident said her husband saw the fire from their house.

She said: "The flames were quite big and they were coming from the roof.

"It's a real shame, its a really good pub and it was always busy.

"It looks like most of the damage was at the back and the roof, the front looked relatively unaffected."

A fire service spokesman said: "The cause of the fire is still under investigation."

A pub spokesman said: "Thank you to all the community for the support.

"We have had a very serious fire which unfortunately has left the restaurant and pub devastated.

"The fire crews have worked tremendously hard and saved what they could.

"All guests and staff were safely evacuated and no one was harmed. "