A MASSIVE blaze, believed to have been started in a sauna, has wrecked the leisure centre at a luxury Bolton hotel.

The Last Drop Hotel, on Hospital Road, Bromley Cross, was packed with guests attending four wedding receptions when the fire started just before 4pm on Saturday. It quickly spread through the two-storey leisure club.

More than 100 people who were due to sleep in the hotel wing nearest the health club, including many who were attending the weddings, were sent to stay at other hotels for the night.

The hotel was evacuated as flames poured through the roof, causing hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of damage to the stone building, and eventually the roof caved in. A spokesman for the hotel said rebuilding costs are expected to reach £1.4 million.

Several fire doors prevented the fierce blaze from spreading to the rest of the hotel, but it took seven fire crews and an aerial platform two-and-a-half hours to bring it under control.

Water was siphoned out of the hotel swimming pool to help fight the flames, and hoses were run 500 yards down Hospital Road to get extra supplies from the mains.

Firefighters from the Bolton North station had to be called in, together with the hydraulic platform, from the Bolton Show where they had been running a fire safety display for visitors.

Most guests were good humoured about the disruption and praised staff at the hotel, which is part of the Scottish-based Macdonald chain, for their helpfulness.

One bride was so taken by the added interest on her big day that she later posed for photographs with firemen.

But one woman, who had been swimming in the the hotel pool had a more traumatic time. She had to borrow a fireman's shirt as her clothing was destroyed in the blaze.

And her new Mercedes car, parked next to the health club, was damaged by falling stonework loosened when the roof caved in.

Luckily all the wedding receptions were being held at suites away from the leisure complex and were only disrupted for half an hour before guests were allowed back inside the building. The hotel spokesman said the hotel was fully operational, apart from the leisure facilities, by last night.

Property developer Philip Pendlebury, of Chorley New Road, Heaton, had just stood up to make his father-of-the bride speech at daughter Helen's wedding to Greg Statham when the room was evacuated.

"The speeches were only delayed for about half an hour," he said. "It hasn't spoilt the occasion. It has been a wonderful day. All the staff have been under pressure but they have coped really well."

Deborah and Stuart Sandison and their three year-old son Scott were on a weekend break at the hotel from their home in Rochdale when the fire broke out.

The family had just returned to their room behind the leisure centre following a shopping trip when they spotted smoke.

"We came straight down to reception and then about a minute later the alarms went off," said Mrs Sandison.

"The flames were going quite high and then the roof caved in. Everything we have now smells of smoke but the staff have been brilliant."

The Sandisons were allowed back into their room to collect their belongings and arrangements were made for them to spend the rest of the weekend at the New Pack Horse Hotel in Bolton town centre.

"It is a bit of excitement and no one has been hurt so that is the main thing," said Mrs Sandison.

The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation, but it is not being treated as arson.

Firefighters had to remain at the leisure complex throughout the night and yesterday to make sure any smouldering embers did not re-ignite. They also kept an eye on the structure of the building, which was left in a dangerous state following the blaze.

A fire service spokesman said today that it was believed an electrical fault in the sauna area of the leisure complex started the blaze.

Investigations are continuing as insurance assessors examine the damage, which is extensive and caused firemen to withdraw from the building as the roof collapsed.

A spokesman for Macdonald Hotels said that rebuilding work would begin as soon as possible and the hotel would remain open in the meantime.

People holding memberships of the health club will be given refunds.