FAMILIES were evacuated from their homes in Westhoughton amid fears that a leaking gas pipe could explode.

More than 20 residents were asked to leave their homes in Central Drive last night by police and fire officers.

The residents stayed overnight with friends and family. One resident spent the night in a nearby hotel. They were all allowed to return to their homes earlier today.

Firefighters and police were called to Central Drive at 7.30pm and sealed off the area.

Transco workers excavated at midnight and found a large fracture in a 15 inch gas pipe which serves 10,000 homes in Westhoughton.

Firefighters remained on standby throughout the night.

A Transco spokesman said: "We had to protect our workers and had to make sure that the area was safe before we could excavate.

"The workmen would have been isolating values and pipes in other areas of Westhoughton to make it safe for them to carry out the repair work.

"It is a fairly large excavation and the road will be closed all day. But we will allow pedestrians to walk their children home from the nearby schools which will remain open."

Gas workers have "clipped" the pipe as a temporary measure to make the main safe.

An investigation is now under way into the cause of the leak.

A local newsagent said the strong smell of gas drifted as far as Lord Street, Westhoughton.

A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: "The leak was reported by a member of the public last night just before 7.30pm. There was no blast and no-one was injured.

"Thirteen homes were evacuated altogether along Central Drive. Transco are still at the scene and are trying to isolate the problem."

A diversion has been set up around Central Drive and Bolton Road is also closed near to the junction with Central Drive.

A resident who did not want to be named said: "There were about 10 Transco vans, two fire engines and some police cars that all came rushing up the road at around 7pm.

"We thought we would all have to leave but it was only the homes nearest to the leak at the end of Central Drive. There was a really strong smell of gas."

Another resident said: "If anyone had thrown a cigarette out on the floor then our homes would all have gone up in smoke."

Another neighbour said: "We were just coming home from a friend's house and saw the police vans so we went up to have a look. We could see the gas coming out from a hole in the ground."