PEOPLE living near to a disused school were woken by the sound of fire engines in the early hours of this morning.

Crews from Brynmawr and Ebbw Vale were called to the former Brynmawr County Primary School, Clydach Street, at 5.15am, to tackle a fire on the ground floor.

Residents described seeing smoke coming out of the two-storey building, which was empty at the time of the incident.

Jeff Woodcock, 60, whose house backs onto the school site, said it was coming from where the old canteen used to be.

His wife Jackie, 57, said the school has been closed for a while, and the land is earmarked for residential use.

Fellow resident Alan Michael, 71, said the smoke had 'billowed' out from the 15m by 15m building.

"You could really smell it," he said.

A South Wales Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said an investigation had been carried out, but they had no further information as the Argus went to press.