DRUG addicts and vagrants trying to keep warm may have sparked a huge blaze.

More than 20 firefighters were scrambled to the outskirts of the town centre as a disused building erupted in flames.

Nearby sleeping residents were woken as the early morning sky lit up with flames shooting nearly 30ft into the air.

Eagle-eyed CCTV operators spotted the blaze as they scanned their screens shortly after 3am on Wednesday morning.

Police have launched an inquiry into the fire at the old Seagle Direct contractors in Tannery Lane.

A police spokesman said: "We are still working with the fire brigade to establish a cause."

Cycle shop owner Rex Jones was woken by a large banging sound, he said: "It was like gun fire. I looked out the window and I could see the flames shooting up the sky.

"They must have been about 30 or 40 feet. It was a big fire alright it took them a long time to control it."

The abandoned building at its secluded back yard has become a popular meeting point for drug addicts to score a fix.

The yard is littered with blood-stained syringes and bits of clothing where tramps have made their beds.

Rex added: "You see them all time, day and night. They come over the back way. At one stage it was quite bad around here."

It took four teams of fire fighters more than four hours to put out the blaze.

The GUARDIAN understands that the building is unsafe and will eventually have to be demolished.

Fire officers continued to dampen the wreck as owner and building safety officers were discussing its future.

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