IT was 4.20am on Thursday, May 16, 1991 when a train inferno lit up the area around Bradford-on-Tone.

Eyewitnesses described the scene as "like a scene from the Gulf War" as smoke and flames reached up into the sky.

Residents told of miraculous escapes as the main Taunton-Exeter line and the road leading to the village were turned into a sea of flames.

There were stories of courage as villagers raced to release trapped animals on evacuated Trefusis Farm within 100 metres of the track.

A police car parked alongside the road was engulfed in flames and the driver had to run for their life.

Another officer was forced to hurriedly turn back in his vehicle as he came across burning fuel at the side of the road.

Miraculously, no one was hurt

The drama unfolded when the night train carrying 990 tonnes of fuel from the Milford Haven oil refinery in Wales was reportedly derailed at the Bradford-on-Tone level crossing, less than a mile from the village centre.

The train consisted of 22 tanks, six carrying petroleum spirits, four kerosene and 12 diesel oil.

Many of those tanks were ruptured and fuel ran down the road and into gullies and ignited.

The first police on the scene evacuated properties.

Bill Wood, who lived in Tone Green, said: "There was a mass of flames, thick black smoke and a roaring sound like a blow lamp, only a thousand times worse."

His neighbour Susan Palk said: "There were terrifying explosions and we realised we needed to get out in case we were engulfed. We left the house in tears and in our nightclothes. The smoke was choking."

Andrew Roberts said: "The flames were 100-150 metres high. The area looked like the Gulf War with palls of fire and smoke. It was terrifying."