RESIDENTS and guests at a hotel were evacuated in the early hours of this morning after a building was filled with gas.

The leak from the external main also ignited the meters outside the Barclays Business Centre, in Commercial Road, Hereford, sending six-foot flames into the air.

Around 40 people, including guests at the nearby Merton Hotel, were evacuated as safety precaution.

"Because the building was filled with gas it was a bit like a bomb because of the risk of explosion," said leading firefighter Andy Davies.

Crews arrived at 2.45am and protected surrounding buildings from the flames until the gas was shut off an hour later by Transco.

Transco and the fire brigade were continuing their investigations this morning to find out how the fire started.