AN investigation is underway into the cause of a workshop blaze near Haslington that saw firefighters in attendance for 20 hours.

Residents in Clay Lane were evacuated on Saturday evening and the road closed for six hours after a fire broke out in an outbuilding.

Eight fire engines were sent to the incident in a garage and workshop and crews were at the scene from 5.15 pm on Saturday until 3pm yesterday (Sunday).

Officers used a thermal imaging camera to check for any hotspots after it was established there were cylinders inside the building and a 200 metre cordon was set up as a precaution.

Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service said that a small number of nearby residents were evacuated and that a water shuttle had to be used due to the rural nature of the blaze. No-one was injured.

Nearby Lakemore Farm Park in Clay Lane was unaffected by the fire, whose smoke could be seen for miles around.

Owner Debbie Lewis told Nub News today: "We're across the road from this but luckily the wind wasn't blowing in that direction. I am just glad everyone was okay."

A fire service spokesman said: "There were cylinders inside the affected building, so firefighters used hose reel jets to cool the cylinders and a thermal imaging camera to check for any hotspots."