"LIKE the London blitz," was how one resident described a fire in Court Road, Malvern, in November, 1975.

Such was the ferocity of the blaze, a dozen homes had to be rapidly evacuated with some residents forced to escape over back garden walls.

The fire had started shortly after 5am in the morning at Hardware House, a hardware store owned by Mr and Mrs Norman Pettifor.

Whipped up by strong winds, the flames leapt 40 feet across the road, setting the tarmac alight and forcing neighbours to abandon their homes.

One pensioner, Miss Freda Mercer, could not reach her front gate and had to be lifted to safety over her rear garden wall by a neighbour.

Court road resident, Megan Whatley, described hearing "a terrible bang and a stream of explosions one after another."

"It's a wonder no one was hurt," she said.

Eileen Eyles, who had raised the alarm, said: "It was like the London blitz - I was terrified."

"I've never seen anything like it in my life and I never want to again," she added.

All praised the firemen for their skill in getting the blaze under control.

l The charred remains of childrens tricycles in the window of a neighbouring toy shop.