A MILL fire could have been far worse if vigilant neighbours hadn't called the emergency services, firefighters have said.

Fire crews were called by people who smelled smoke in Bartle Lane, Great Horton, Bradford, shortly after 1.30am today.

Crew commander Mark Warrender, of Fairweather Green station, said it had taken them around half an hour to locate the blaze, which had been on the ground floor of a vacant mill.

He said a heap of old furniture, wood and straw packing material was on fire, although the building itself was not alight.

But he said that could have been very different if local people hadn't raised the alarm.

He said: "They certainly prevented it from spreading to the building."

The fire is being treated as suspicious and is under investigation.