A DOZEN residents had to be evacuated from their homes in Monmouth yesterday morning because of a potentially lethal gas pipe fire.

Residents of Monk Street woke at 4.30am to sirens sounding and knocks on doors from the emergency services as they were forced to flee their homes for almost four hours and enter the freezing night - some wearing their pyjamas.

Police cordoned off the area surrounding the Royal George and Coach House and Lancaster House flats whilst firefighters sought to control the blaze.

Officers made arrangements with the King's Head Hotel Wetherspoon's to open its doors to residents and avoid the cold.

Steve Gregory, Deputy Manager at the Kings Head said he was happy to help: "The Police asked if they could come in and keep warm and I said they could.

"I gave them some free coffee to warm them up and it kept all the kids quiet.

"They were all a bit shaken up to be honest," Mr Gregory said.

John Sands, 29, was one resident who was woken up by the emergency services.

"I had only just got to sleep," he said.

"There were loads of people outside and fire engines and police everywhere - I didn't know what was going on.

"Fortunately my mother lives close by, so after going to Wetherspoon's for a coffee I went to sleep there."

For Don and June Smith, the fire was too close for comfort.

"It was just below our bathroom window," Mrs Smith said.

"The fire alarms didn't go off because the fire was outside. It was only because a man walked past he raised the alarm."

"We were very lucky really," Mr Smith said.

South Wales Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that two crews from Monmouth and one crew from Usk tackled the blaze which was ignited from a refuse fire.