YOUTHS have been blamed for a blaze at a former Burnley furniture factory last night.

And police have launched an investigation into the second major fire at the disused Sweet Dreams factory, Primrose Mill, Harrison Street, in seven months.

Six fire engines from Burnley, Nelson, Padiham and Accrington tackled the blaze shortly after 11pm last night.

It took an hour to bring the fire under control.

Watch manager Eddie Steel slammed the culprits. He said: "Kids had broken into what was left of the Sweet Dreams factory, which was being used as storage. They broke in at the back and set fire to two separate areas.

"It was very difficult for the crews with the nature of the storage being so haphazard and unstable and because of that we had to request back-up, for the crews' safety.

"Not only did these people put themselves at risk but they also put the crews at risk."

A police spokesman confirmed an investigation would be carried out later today into the cause of the fire.

It is the second time seven months that the mill at Harle Syke has been targeted by arsonists.

More than 100 firefighters from across East Lancashire spent hours tackling the fire at the mill in July.

The cloud of smoke caused by the blaze could be seen from as far away as Blackburn.

As a result, the firm based there, bed manufacturer Sweet Dreams, had to pull down part of the mill.

The fire damaged thousands of pounds worth of stock.