FIFTY years ago this week, revellers gathered in the recently opened Top Storey Club in the town centre.

On May 1, 1961, the venue, at 27 Crown Street, was set to become one of Bolton’s new top spots for a night out.

It had been open just four months when a mystery blaze swept through the club, claiming the lives of 19 people.

Club manager Bill Bohannon was aged just 32 at the time.

He was at the club that night with his wife, Sheila, who perished in the blaze.

Mr Bohannon was the first to realise something was wrong.

Smelling smoke, he went downstairs to investigate.

Believing it was perhaps a small fire started by a discarded cigarette he tried a door but was hit by a wall of smoke and flames.

He tried to get back up the stairs to warn people, but was overcome by the smoke and fled the building.

His wife died in the ensuing tragedy.

The 82-year-old, who is now retired and living in Blackpool said: “It was a terrifying experience, something I’ll never forget it.

“It was a huge tragedy for Bolton and for me.”

Flames raced up the narrow staircase and straight on to the dance floor.

Within minutes, 15 people, who had simply been enjoying an evening out, were dead.

Most were swiftly overcome by smoke as the room became choked.

Four more perished in a desperate attempt to save their lives by jumping 80 feet from a window into the River Croal.

A dramatic leap by four others, however, managed to save their lives.

Mr Bohannon caught one of the survivors who leapt from a window.

It was almost two hours before firemen from Horwich, Leigh and Radcliffe could recover the bodies as they battled to contain the fierce flames behind a wall of water.

Bolton was left numbed by the carnage, and equally by the cause of the blaze. The Bolton Evening News of May 2, 1961, reported: “Fifteen were burned to death in the club as the fire, which is believed to have started on the ground floor, swept up an open staircase in a flash. The other four were killed outright in a desperate 80ft leap from the rear of the club into the River Croal which, after heavy rain, was running fairly deeply.”

While all the evidence pointed to it being started deliberately, the inquest jury failed to reach a firm decision on its cause, and returned an open verdict on all 19 victims.

The tragedy helped speed through new fire safety laws, which had been held up in Parliament.

In the national outcry following the Bolton fire, a clause was added to the Licensing Bill allowing fire authorities to inspect premises before their registration.