INVESTIGATIONS are continuing today into the cause of a major fire which swept through former tram sheds in Bradford on Friday night.

More than 1,000 tyres and a number of vehicles went up in smoke during the blaze, which also saw residents from nearby streets evacuated from their homes.

The incident occurred on Leeds Road, Thornbury, just after 10.30pm, on a site used by various local businesses including Akbar's, Zee Tyres, Jacks Tyres, a car sales firm, and a hand car wash.

Emergency services were on-site until around 1pm yesterday afternoon damping down the remains of the fire and making the scene safe.

A police spokesman confirmed that no-one had been injured in the incident, adding that fire investigators were looking into the cause of the blaze.

Residents in streets behind the site were forced to leave their homes around 11pm, and were unable to return until after 3am.

One said: "It was crazy. I've got four kids and we were just passing them down the street it was that hectic.

"There was so much noise, all cracking and banging, and we worried the wall in front of the houses was going to come down.

"We were choking downstairs as the heat and smoke was so bad."

Retrospective plans had been submitted to Bradford Council to use part of the site as a waste tyre disposal business, despite concerns from local residents that it could prove a major fire hazard.