Three persons were rushed to hospital with burns after several explosions at Wood Flour Mills in the village of Bosley, near Macclesfield, Cheshire, England.

Fire crews said the incident involved the collapse of a four-storey building and warned there was a risk of further explosions.

A 29-year-old woman suffered serious burns and blast injuries to her head, face, arms and chest, West Midlands Ambulance Service said yesterday.

She was airlifted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham for further specialist treatment, while two other people who suffered burns were also taken to hospital.

One person was flown by air ambulance to Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester, with the other taken to Royal Stoke University Hospital, the North West Ambulance Service said.

The explosions at the wood treatment works shook nearby homes and emergency services warned local residents to close windows and doors because of smoke in the area.

Emergency crews were initially called to reports of an explosion at the site at around 9.10am. Cheshire Police confirmed later there had been a further two blasts.