ELIZABETH Moore was attending the Chrysanthemum Show on the day of the fire.

Her husband, Clarence, and his uncle were members of the society.

Mrs Moore, 88, who lives in Heaton, said: "At 12.00 everyone had flowers there. Quite a lot of people used to come to see them. There was a competition and people could buy them.

"I was there and I used to run the raffle. I wasn't there when the fire started. Most people used to go home around five or six o'clock.

"I often think how terrible it would have been if the fire had started earlier, when lots of people were in the hall."