TWO hundred people were evacuated from the Marriott Hotel in Worsley after a small fire in a function room.

The blaze started at around 2pm on Thursday when a cannister used for heating food burst into flames.

Three engines from Eccles fire station rushed to the hotel on Walkden Road.

But a member of staff had already spotted the fire and put out the blazed with an extinguisher.

A dinner table and decorative tablecloths were destroyed.

At the time of the fire, staff were preparing for a buffet but no guests or food were in the room.

A dinner table and decorative tablecloths were completely destroyed by the flames.

A number of parties were interrupted when firefighters ordered all guests outside into the rain.

A fire spokesman said: "If it had been left for much longer, the fire could have spread to other tables."