TWO hours before Christmas dinner was to be served to 250 customers, a fire broke out at Valentino's Restaurant in Burnley.

But manager Carla Gentile said the firefighters were excellent, the staff great, the emergency gas man from Colne prompt, and the customers did not mind the three-hour delay.

Three fire engines were called to the Bethesda Street restaurant at 10.15am on Christmas Day.

Leading Firefighter Michael Lee said the fire started in a basement under the kitchen and it had probably been smouldering for a long time.

The heat from the cooker had broken down the timbers underneath and the smouldering wood had been fanned by the gale force winds of Christmas Eve.

While the staff were preparing the dinners, the timbers under the floor burst into flames. No-one was hurt.

Firefighters had to remove the cooker and pizza oven and cut away at the kitchen floor to get into the basement. They were at the restaurant for five hours.

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