MORE than 50 shops and houses have been left without power in Horwich after an underground electricity box blew-up.

Firefighters were called to Brownlow Road at about 3pm when a manhole cover was blown-off by a electrical fire underground.

A cordon was put in place while staff from Electricity North West worked to fix the “high voltage link box” and cables, which have been damaged by the flames.

No one was injured in by the fire.