HOLIDAYMAKERS from East Lancashire were staying at a Cornish hotel where one person died in a fire.

Great Harwood-based Robinsons Holidays had two coach-loads of people staying in the Penhallow Hotel at the time of the blaze early this morning.

A total of 86 people from the holiday firm were at the Newquay hotel when fire broke out at around midnight.

Robinsons is based in Park Garages, Great Harwood.

John Major, a spokesman for Robinsons, said: "We do know that there were at least 86 people in the hotel who were with a Robinsons coach holiday.

"The firm is part of the same group that owns the hotel and they do cater for the more mature passenger, largely from the North and North West of England."

He said that the holidaymakers, from Lancashire, Cheshire and Merseyside, were coming to the end of their stay.

One coach was due to bring passengers home on Saturday and the other on Sunday.

The Penhallow is owned by Holdsworth Hotels and used regularly by Robinsons Holidays, a family-run tour operator.

Both firms are owned by the same parent company, O&C Holdsworth.

Police said some residents were forced to jump to safety as the blaze swept through the hotel causing parts of the structure to later collapse.

Three neighbouring buildings, also described as hotels, were evacuated as a precaution.

The hotel's owners said smoke detectors and fire doors had been checked two weeks ago.

Two people are still unaccounted for.

This morning workers are continuing to try and stabilise the remains of the hotel so it is safe for a detailed search for evidence.

The building has been reduced to a burnt-out shell containing rubble around eight feet deep and debris is scattered across the surrounding road.

The police said they hope to start the search this afternoon.

Superintendent John Green said: "First today we are going to clear the road of debris, the stuff pulled off by the demolition crew that is not needed for evidence.

"We will then start pulling debris from the scene, we hope to have screens up and to get in by early afternoon.

"There will be two teams of fire and police investigators.

"The fire investigators will look for the cause of the fire and the police will look for evidence linked to any cause of death and any bodies that may be in there.

"It is unlikely if there was any one in there they survived a building collapse of that nature."

* Do you know anyone who was on the trip to Newquay? Contact the Lancashire Telegraph on 07850 740927.