ACCRINGTON'S Manchester Road fire station has been a home and work place for the town's firefighters for nearly 70 years.

But with their new £1.7million Hyndburn Road station now operational they have left the old building and all its memories behind.

Reporter Richard Newton looks at the history of the station...

MANCHESTER Road station cost £89,000 and was the most modern of its time when it opened in 1935. At the touch of a button in the control room, a graph indicator took over, starting the fire engine automatically, opening the doors and turning the lights on.

The general alarm then sounded throughout the station illuminating the lights in the firemen's houses, which were in the same complex.

The station was constructed because the government ordered the town council to build better facilities, not only for the fire brigade, but for the police, law courts, ambulance and council lighting department. Since then the firemen's homes have been sold off, and the ambulance and lighting engineers have moved away leaving a fire brigade that has evolved into the modern service seen today.

John Kelly, 70, of Garfield Street, Accrington, joined the fire brigade on New Year's Day in 1951. While serving at Manchester Road he reached the rank of Sub Officer before retiring on March 11 1986.

John said even though he has retired he will miss the old station now that it has closed and it is a sad for all the town. "It's the end of an era, it is very sad to think it is closing. It has served the town well for nearly 70 years and many firefighters have lived and worked there. To us its more than just somewhere to work, we spend so much time there, even sleeping there, that it becomes our home as well.

"I've seen a lot of changes over the years. When Accrington opened we had a Leyland turntable ladder, a Leyland Cub fire engine that is now in the British Transport Museum, in London, and three other appliances. We also used to house the ambulances and the lighting department that went around the town changing the lightbulbs.

"I remember the bakelite helmets changing in 1959 and the uniforms changing in 1967. I know that times change and that the new fire station will serve the community better but it is sad to move out of the old station, there's a great deal of history tied up with the old place.

"There was also the big fire at Howard and Bullough, on Brown Street, on January 12 1967, we had 31 jets in operation and 20 pumps, it was well alight."

John's sentiments were shared by many of today's firefighters who also feel sad to be leaving the old station.

Firefighter Rob Beetham, 30, joined Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service in 1997 and served at Accrington for six years. He is a member of Blue Watch, the last watch to work a full shift at Manchester Road.

He said: "I've enjoyed working here and we're all quite sad to be moving and everybody is of the same mind, the station is old and needs repair but it is not worth doing, they said it was better to get a new one. I come from Preston and I could have got a transfer ages ago but I enjoy working here, it's a special station."

Firefighter Steve Morley, 36, started at Accrington fire station two years ago after three years as a retained firefighter in Bacup. He said: "We're all sad to be leaving, we're getting a new station and they say it is a vast improvement on the old one and serves the community better, but we're all sad to be leaving."

Firefighter Tommy O'Kane works for Green Watch, the first watch to work from the new station. He said: "It's going to be a bit strange. It's also going to be the first time that we see the station properly, we've only had a brief look and don't really know what it has yet."

Station Commander Mick Holmes, 54, joined the fire service and started his career at Accrington thirty years ago in 1973. He is due to retire next year.

He said: "We have a heavy heart at the moment. We're very sad to be leaving such good premises. It has served us well for many years. We live here as well and that is what the fire service is all about.

"The place has a lot of memories and a great history, it's been really sad packing it up into the boxes and moving out."

The future of the station remains uncertain but a police spokesman said they were interested in taking the building over but no agreement has been reached.

Despite all the packing, Mick said there was one resident who would not be able to come along with them -- the resident ghost.

"I don't know how true it is, and it may be a bit of fun, but some of the lads swear blind that we've had a ghost here for years. I've never seen him, but I suppose all I ask is that whoever moves in after us to look after him as much as we have and remember he was here before you."