A CARAVAN burst into flames as organisers prepared for Blackburn Easter Fair in Witton Country Park yesterday.

Dramatic video footage showed dark smoke, which was visible around the town, billowing from the unoccupied vehicle after it caught fire just before 3pm.

Two crews from Blackburn fire station dealt with the blaze and an investigation is ongoing to discover the cause.

MORE TOP STORIES:

Clare Brown, who was walking her two dogs in the park, said people were screaming and running for cover after an explosion.

She said: "The fair was being set up for Easter and something just caught my eye so I turned around.

"There were lots of people chatting and then you could hear someone shouting to get away. It looked like a gas canister had exploded."

"The smoke was acrid but thankfully no-one appeared to be hurt."

The fair, organised by The Showmen’s Guild of Great Britain, will still take place as planned from March 27 to April 13.

Fair steward Nicholas Hill said: "Everything will go ahead as arranged. No-one was injured an no-one, not even the fire service, is sure how it started.

"The caravan, which was used as accommodation by performers, is totally destroyed."