HUNDREDS of people watched one of Otley's last remaining industrial buildings go up in flames last week.

At the second fire at the derelict Gay Lane tannery in just five months more than 60 firefighters and eight fire engines and a turntable from Otley, Cookridge, Rawdon, Stanningley, Kirkstall Road, Leeds, and Bradford battled to put the fire out.

The flames could be seen from two miles away from the north of the River Wharfe, homes on Gay Lane were evacuated and the road was closed from around 8.30pm to 11pm.

The fire, which broke out at about 8.55pm on Thursday, is being investigated.

Firefighter Martin Rogers from Cookridge Fire Station said the first call was made at 7.41pm and eight pumps and a turntable were turned out.

More than 60 firefighters tackled the blaze up until 12.30am on Friday morning with Rawdon firefighters returning later in the day to dampen the site down.

Otley resident Andrew Ingle, who lives on Leeds Road, found out about the fire when his daughter, Madeline, arrived home from visiting a friend.

"She was going past when all of a sudden the building erupted.

"She said it was like a big mushroom cloud," he said.

Michael Crooks, 38, who was evacuated from his home in Gay Lane, said: "I just couldn't believe what I saw. I went straight onto the phone and dialled 999.

"I saw flames going through the roof, then it caved in.

"It took hold very quickly and I heard glass exploding. The police came and told us to get out until it was under control.

"They were worried that it might collapse."

Geoff and Paula Day, who moved into their home on Gay Lane directly backing onto the tannery just two months ago, could hear the fire from inside their home.

The couple were evacuated after firefighters became concerned that the tannery wall might collapse.

"There were some kids here the other night messing about around the back and we told them to clear off, this will have been done in revenge," said Mr Day.

Neighbour Daniel Dobson said he knew nothing about the fire until a friend driving past telephoned him.

"My mate was driving past and he rang to say the building was on fire.

"We saw some kids kicking in doors the other night, it's no surprise that the place has been set on fire, the building should be knocked down."

Sainsbury's has planning permission to build a store about the same size as the town's Safeways on land off Bondgate.

It was about to submit amended plans including the construction of replacement buildings on the supermarket site and on the partially demolished tannery site.

As previously reported, Sains-bury's revealed amended plans last month to relocate tenants of buildings at the store site into new buildings at the tannery.

The tannery building is owned by Sainsbury's.