Fire crews were on Sunday still at the scene of a big factory fire which forced the evacuation of part of Leicester.

They were damping down acetylene cylinders and trying to find the cause of the fire.

During the fire at True Colours Dyers on Bath Lane on Saturday some cylinders exploded.

At its height, 70 firefighters from two counties were at the scene.

Shops and a college were evacuated and smoke could be seen for miles.

Nearby streets were closed

Eyewitness Robin l'Anson saw a gas cylinder from the fire narrowly miss a barge passing on the River Soar.

"A gas canister exploded about the height of a chimney, a good 60 or 70 feet in the air.

"And it landed bang in the middle of the river, missing the barge by about 10 or 15 seconds.

"It was quite a close call," he told BBC Radio Leicester.

Asbestos fear

The area near the fire was sealed off on Saturday and minor roads closed.

Bath Street remained closed on Sunday.

Vaughan College on Vaughan Way and local shops were evacuated.

There was concern about dust from the factory's asbestos roof spreading through the area.

The roof has been completely destroyed.

It is not known how the fire started and investigations are continuing.