“IT WAS nerve-wracking”.

So say residents who have spoken of their panic after the blaze forced them to leave their homes.

About 60 people in total were moved from ten to 15 properties near to the site in Bitterne Road West after 5am yesterday.

Many had already been told to leave by police officers when the biggest explosion ripped through the shop and sent debris flying across the area.

A rest centre for evacuees was set up in the Ascension Centre in Thorold Road, but many remained behind the police cordon to watch the fire as it consumed the shop.

Jennifer and Geoff Prouton, who live opposite the flat, said burning tiles were sent crashing against their flat by the blast.

Mrs Prouton said: “Just after 5am I heard a noise and we just thought it was someone being silly and kicking cans about.

“But we went out and saw the building was on fire.

“The windows were broken, there was liquid colour pouring out of the front, fireworks going into the sky, black smoke and enormous flames.”

Daily Echo: Geoff Prouton

Her husband added: “I saw that the front of the building and the back was in flames, and we had our own sort of fireworks display. There were explosions all over the place.”

Web developer Richard Hull, 49, was among those forced to leave their homes as emergency crews tackled the blaze.

“I got woken up at about 5am by my girlfriend digging me in the ribs and saying ‘someone is shooting shotguns’,” he said.

“But we looked outside and realised that the Firework Factory was on fire.

“Then it got more lively and the flames shot up.”

Daily Echo: The view from Richard Hull's home

Mr Hull said he was evacuated by the police by 5.30am, and had just got into his car when the biggest explosion sent debris flying across the entire area.

He continued: “We were just getting into our car when the big explosion happened and showered the car with debris.

“Speaking flippantly it wasn’t an average morning.

“We were mainly concerned that when the fireworks went up they were going to land on our flats and set fire to it – it was nerve-wracking and panicking”.

Maurizio Guagliumi, 43, and his wife Annabel, 33, were also evacuated, but not before he had filmed spectacular footage of the explosion, below.

He told the Daily Echo: “It was really strange, I heard a few bangs and I got up straight away.

“I looked outside and I could see the blue lights outside so we thought it was a shooting with the sound of the fireworks going off.

“When we first saw the fire we thought it wasn’t that scary, but when we saw the amount of black smoke was got a bit more worried.”

Daily Echo: Doreen Attard

Pensioner Doreen Attard, 74, said: “I was woken up at about 5.15am and though it was thunder, but I looked out of the window and saw it all.

“When the fireworks started going off, it was just like Bonfire Night.”

The residents evacuated from their homes were able to return after noon.