A fire has ripped through a popular Blackburn pub, with locals waking to find a shell of the building left.

Crews are investigating the blaze which broke out at the Farthings pub, on Rosewood Avenue in Roe Lee, in the early hours of Saturday morning (September 10).

Photographs taken this morning sent into the Lancashire Telegraph show the roof of the pub burnt away.

It is unclear at this stage what may have caused the blaze and what the level of damage is inside.

The pub has been closed while owners Stoneygate have been searching for a new tenant.

A spokesperson for the fire service said: "Six fire engines and an aerial ladder platform were called to a fire involving a derelict building on Rosewood Avenue, Blackburn.

"Firefighters extinguished the fire using two breathing apparatus, two jets and two ground monitors.

"Two fire engines remain in attendance to ensure all hotspots have been safely extinguished.

"No injuries have been reported and a fire investigation is underway."

A spokesperson for the Farthings added: “The fire brigade are attending to a fire at the pub.

"Fortunately, the site was closed and no one was on the premises during the blaze.

"We are waiting for the emergency services to confirm the site is safe, a full investigation will then begin as the site is made secure.”