Sixty people were evacuated to Bradford's Richard Dunn's Sports Centre last night amid fears that a gas cylinder may explode.

People from homes near Florence Street, off Leeds Road, were among those affected after the alarm was raised just before 9pm, as reported in today's Telegraph & Argus.

Part of Leeds Road also had to be sealed off as an exclusion zone was set up by police.

Firefighters from Bradford Fire Station turned out after getting reports of a rubbish fire in the open but soon discovered a purple gas cylinder, believed to contain acetylene, in the middle of the burning heap.

The blaze had been put out by 9.30pm, but cordons stayed in place while a hazardous materials officer inspected the cylinder.

Six residents in Planetrees Road, just off Leeds Road, Bradford, were also told to move to the back of their homes, out of the danger zone.

Watch manager Harvey Stewart said: "We arrived to find a rubbish fire, probably started by kids, but they had chucked a gas cylinder in the middle.

"The fact it's purple points towards acetylene, which means it's a 24-hour job while it cools down and becomes safe again."

Fire crews were still at the scene this morning cooling down the cylinder.