A DISCARDED cigarette is believed to have sparked a blaze which severely damaged a Pendle pub early today.

Three fire crews from Colne and Nelson were called to The Queens pub, Burnley Road, Colne, at 1.20am after a passing police officer raised the alarm.

Flames were coming out of a ground floor window when firefighters arrived. Station Officer David Gilligan, of Colne fire station, said: "The bar is in the centre of the building with a snug on one side of the main entrance and the main room on the other.

"The fire had taken hold in the snug, which was gutted, but fortunately the partition between the two rooms helped contain the fire.

"At the moment the most likely cause is careless disposal of a cigarette behind the bar."

The blaze caused severe fire damage to five ground floor rooms and moderate smoke damage to nine first floor rooms.

An ambulance was called to the scene and eight firefighters carried out a search of the building after reports that people may be trapped inside but the pub was empty. Sgt David Ashcroft, of Burnley police, said: "Inquiries are continuing but there is nothing suspicious about the incident at this stage."

A nearby culvert collapsed while firefighters were at the scene, causing flooding in Burnley Road. The road outside the pub was still covered with six inches of water this morning.

The Queens is up for sale and is only open on a part-time basis.

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