A BLAZE destroyed the main stand at Rossendale United Football Club’s ground last night.

The fire, at Dark Lane, Newchurch, was well alight by the time firefighters arrived at 5.15pm.

Around 30 firefighters attended the scene, using five pumps.

Police were also called and set up a cordon.

Liam Wilson, station manager at Hyndburn Fire Station, who was in charge of the operation, said: “At this time we cannot say whether the fire was started deliberately or not.

“We will launch full investigation in conjunction with the police, once we can get access to the stand.

“We got the call at 5.13pm and were on the scene within five minutes.

“By the time we got here, the fire was fully developed."

He said he was unaware of any smoke damage to surrounding properties.

Police Inspector Phil Broughton said: “A member of public saw smoke coming from the long side of the ground and called the services.

“We had about half a dozen officers on the scene.”

The ground is directly behind a residential estate with houses close by.

The four houses nearest to the ground on Queensway were evacuated by police.

Rossendale United was dissolved last year and the ground was out of use, but it was known to be a gathering place for youths in the area.

Kevin Proctor, secretary of the club from 1998 to 2008, said he was devastated as he watched his beloved ground reduced to ashes.

He said: “It is such a shame. It is devastating.

“I’ve always expected it, though, with it all being timber.

“Some kids set fire to the club shop about six months ago. It is all boarded up but they still get on.”

Mr Proctor said it was the end of any potential future for Rossendale United.

He said: “I always hoped someone would come along and save it, but this is the end of the road.

“You look at all the happy memories, like when I was a boy coming on and we had gates of about 500.

“You do your bit, and then someone else comes along and does their bit. That’s the way it is in non-league football.

“All that time and effort that has gone in and then you see this.”

Queensway resident Jack Bolton said it had been coming for a while.

He said: “It has been a danger site for years. All the kids go on messing about and getting up to all sorts.

“They should have pulled it down years ago.

“My wife came downstairs and said the stand was on fire.

“I went upstairs and looked through the window and watched it come from the right hand side and spread all the way down.

“The fire service seemed to have it under control at one point and then it went up again.

“All the metal beams were red, and I had to turn the heating off in the house it got that hot.”

Rossendale United FC, which was founded in 1898, was kicked out of the North West Counties League in June last year.

The club had had a turbulent year, in which an unpaid water bill saw the supply cut and manager Paul Colgan walking out and taking his coaching staff with him.

Attempts were being made to form a new club, Rossendale FC, which was last year granted limited company status by the Financial Services Authority under the rules of an Industrial and Provident Society.