AROUND 20 elderly residents and staff at a care home had to be evacuated when a fire at a garage got out of control.

A pile of car parts including seats, tyres and wheels set alight at a car repair garage behind Vine Mill, Union Road, Oswaldtwistle, at 8pm.

The flames set fire to the building and then spread to the residential home next door, damaging external guttering, soffits and fencing.

A local resident raised the alarm.

Two workmen were still at the garage and it is thought a spark may have set off the pile of spare parts.

Firefighters used 20 litres of foam and spent an hour bringing the blaze under control.

Barge boards and fencing were also badly damaged.

But the fire did not spread inside either building and all residents were unharmed.