Town Hall staff who rushed to deal with two major gas incidents have been praised by their political boss.

Blackburn with Darwen borough leader Councillor Phil Riley used its full Council Forum meeting on Thursday night to highlight their swift action in the emergencies.

The first was on Sunday, December 17, when an explosion destroyed a house in London Road, Blackburn, damaged two others and led to the evacuation on 50 nearby residents.

The second was on Friday, January 19, when around 25 residents and families living in Queen Victoria Street in Mill Hill, had to evacuated after a gas leak.

Cllr Riley said: "I would like to give some fulsome praise to those council officers who were involved in the emergency in Queen Victoria Street last Friday night and in London Road prior to Christmas.

"These were two really serious incidents to do with potential gas leaks and gas explosions.

"I am not referring to the bravery of Cllr Jim Smith in driving his bus there but the planning that I understand went to this serious issue: 25 families having to be removed in difficult circumstances.

"I was in the company earlier this week with some members of the police force and they were absolutely by the just exemplary performance of all the council officers who got involved in it and there were quite a significant number.

"What it partly illustrates is why we over here do what we do in terms of trying to support the staff with the challenges because we want them to be in a situation where an emergency like that raises they can spring into action and do their work in such an exemplary way.

"So I think that there is a piece of congratulations there so that if the senior officers wish to carry that back please do."

John Slater: "I would like to echo the leader's remarks on the staff and how they remarkably did well and how they sorted it out.

"It was commendable how they did it. I would like to give them our thanks."