MORE than 40 people were forced to flee after a fire broke out at a Rossendale youth and community centre last night.

Members of the youth club and a church women's group escaped unhurt from the blaze at the Whitewell Bottom Youth and Community Centre.

Twenty six children, a dozen women and staff were evacuated when the fire broke out in the toilet area before spreading to the roof of the split-level building in Burnley Road East.

The fire started in an extractor fan in the boys' toilets. Staff had seen a group of teenage strangers acting suspiciously just before the fire broke out at 8pm.

Steward Maureen Duerden said: "Three young lads, aged 14 to 15, were trying to get into the building and a younger boy, also a stranger, was seen leaving just minutes before the fire started.

"We are surmising that someone stuffed paper into the fan and set it on fire."

Youngsters in the club were playing five-a-side football and others were doing craft work when the fire began. Mrs Duerden said: "The fire drill went perfectly and everyone got out safely. The women's group had to use the corridor where the smoke was coming from the toilets, but there was no panic.

"I had intended holding the monthly fire drill the previous night, but put it off because we were so busy. Last night's was not a practice but the real thing."

Today's meetings of the village playgroup, indoor bowling club and tonight's over 60s have been cancelled but it is hoped the centre will be back in business before the weekend.

Sub fire officer Nick Clough said the cause of the fire was under investigation.

The toilets and about 25 square metres of roofing were badly damaged.

Fire crews arrived to find that the evacuation procedure had worked smoothly and everyone was out safely.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.