MYSTERY surrounds the cause of a fire which destroyed a workshop and blew out windows in neighbouring homes.

The blaze broke out in a large shed behind houses on East End in Wolsingham, County Durham, at around 12.15pm today (February 19).

Three fire crews from Stanhope, Crook and Bishop Auckland spent about an hour putting out the flames.

The ferocity of the fire destroyed the workshop and everything inside - including a motor bike which was due be ridden around the Isle of Man TT course - and melted gutters and blew out the windows of a neighbouring house belonging to Pamela Turnbull and Neville Lowerson.

The couple said they were in their kitchen with their two young children when they saw smoke coming from the shed, belonging to neighbour David Wood.

Ms Turnbull said the kitchen window blew out yards from where the children were seated, and the windows in the master bedroom upstairs were also destroyed.

She said: “Thankfully no-one was hurt.”

Mr Wood said the cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained,adding: "I went in there earlier today but there was nothing wrong, it just contains machinery all of which was switched off.

“It could have been a lot worse.”

The County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service has launched an investigation, but officer Tony John said it was too early to determine what started the fire.

Durham Police closed the road through Wolsingham for around an hour and a half while the fire was put out.