A RAILWAY carriage for the disabled has been destroyed in a major blaze at the East Lancashire Railway's Bolton Street station.

Efforts are now being made by railway bosses to see whether they can save the renovated carriage which was brought back into service five years ago.

Work on the carriage was part-funded by Ramsbottom's Peel Lions fund raising group to provide it with wheelchair access and make the popular tourist attraction more accessible to disabled people.

However, the disabled service has been badly hit by the blaze.

Firefighters from Bury and Whitefield were called to Bolton Street station at 8.30pm on Sunday when police spotted the fire from their station which overlooks the sidings.

A third of the carriage was well ablaze although fire crews managed to bring the fire under control within minutes and stop it from spreading to other stock.

A lighted cigarette is believed to have fallen between the seats during the train's final journey on Sunday.

The railway marketing manager, Graham Vevers, said: "It is a shame for us and a very unfortunate incident.

"We will have to estimate the cost of any repairs but it may well be that the carriage is damaged beyond repair.

"In that case we will have to look at how we can manage our service for disabled passengers."