Fire crews were called to the Lord Nelson in Manchester Road just after 4 a.m. on Saturday when it was reported people were trapped inside the three-storey building.

Everyone escaped unharmed by the time four pumps form Nelson and Burnley arrived, but the back of the building was well alight as fire spread from the bins to the storage area, burning through to the first floor.

Watch Manager Steve Thompson, of Nelson Fire Station, said: "The fire started at the back of the pub in the bin compound and spread to the storeroom and ceiling. The corridor was damaged 100% and made quite a mess of the loading bay where the wheelie bins were destroyed. It took several hours to make the building safe."

Landlady Mrs Susanne Thompson, her family and workers who lodge at the pub, were asleep at the time. She said: "We could have all been killed. If we'd gone down the fire escape that's where the fire was. All we saw was smoke coming into the flat.

"My son went down into the pub and could see flames coming from near the toilets which is near where the gas cylinders are kept. We're lucky it wasn't a lot worse."

This was just one of several incidents Nelson Fire Station dealt with in the early hours of Saturday, starting with a rubbish fire in Henry Street at 11-30 p.m. on Friday.

Watch Manager Thompson added: "Arrangements have been made to view CCTV evidence as the proximity and times of the fires suggest they may be connected."

After emergency repairs were made by joiners and electricians the Lord Nelson was able to open again to the public by 3-30 p.m on Saturday.