FIREFIGHTERS were called to a smouldering boiler room at Turton Tower.

Smoke alarms at the Grade I listed building started sounding at about 10am yesterday, alerting fire crews from Bolton Central and Darwen.

The boiler room, which is at the back of the tower was full of smoke when crews arrived, but there were no flames.

Firefighters discovered an over-flowing pile of ashes from an eco-boiler.

It is thought the heat from the ash had caused the smoke and set off the alarm.

The new eco-boiler burns wooden pellets rather than gas and is supposed to burn 90 per cent of the pellets.

Turton’s boiler had been emptied on Friday, but had filled up over the weekend, causing it to over-heat.

A spokesman from Blackburn with Darwen Council confirmed no damage had been caused to the historic building.