MORE than 100 people were evacuated from their homes in Lostock Hall after builders working on a new housing estate hit a gas main.

Residents could only watch as two fire engines, the incident support unit from Chorley, police and paramedics swooped into action at the Old Lane Park Housing estate just after noon on Tuesday.

Police sealed off the estate and gas delivery company Transco were brought in to turn off the supply.

Gas fumes filled the air and stretched as far as Kingsfold, Penwortham. The burst happened at a building site on the Elmswood estate, which is currently under construction, at the junction of Wateringpool Lane and Carrwood Way.

Alan Cranshaw and partner Diana Sutcliffe had only moved to the new estate on Saturday, from Clitheroe, with daughters Laura, four, and Molly, 18 months.

Mr Cranshaw said: "The policeman knocked at my door and I couldn't believe it. Diana had taken Laura to nursery and my first priority was to get Molly out and away from the danger."

The road was cordoned off for more than two hours.

"We would have had to go to my parents house if they'd not opened the road up again and we would have had nothing apart from what we were stood up in," added Mr Cranshaw. "It would have been a nightmare."

Michael Cronin, of Penwortham Town Council, said: "I live in Lostock Hall and I'd gone home for dinner.

"I drove past the site and saw what was happening and when I got back to work in Kingsfold I could smell it there as well."

Transco were quick to repair the burst pipe but police said the incident could have been worse.

Inspector Neil Smith said: "Fortunately there was a heavy wind.

"If there had been no breeze then the gas would have hung around making it more dangerous and obviously having a gas plant nearby was also a concern.

"But we are confident the situation has been resolved and the estate is now safe."