A TEAM of 20 firefighters spent the night battling a fire which broke out at a Ramsbottom paper mill.

More than 1,000 tonnes of paper were destroyed in the large blaze which broke out at Mondi Paper Mill, on Bridge Street.

Fire crews remained at the scene early today, continuing to damp down the bales of paper in a large storage shed on the site.

Warehouse workers who had been on the nightshift helped firefighters move the heavy bales using specialist equipment.

Firefighters used four water jets and an aerial ladder to tackle the blaze, which at its height involved five crews from around the area, including Bolton North.

Bury Fire Station Officer, Brian Nuttall, said that there was no danger to other workers who were allowed to continue working through the night.

Police and fire officers have launched a joint investigation to find out the cause of the fire which caused structural damage to the warehouse.

Motorists faced delays early today as traffic was diverted down Bass Lane, which is currently undergoing repairs. A spokesman for the paper mill declined to comment.