WORKS of art are believed to have survived a suspected arson attack in a building housing a gallery.

But Sunderland University officials are carrying out an inventory of the photographic archive, some of which may have suffered smoke damage in the fire, at Ashburne House, in the city.

The building houses the Reg Vardy Gallery, workshops, classrooms, studios and a library used by students on arts courses.

Fire crews attended after smoke alarms went off at about 8.30pm on Sunday. They confined the blaze to a basement room.

Some adjoining parts of the building were affected by smoke, including a room housing a photographic archive.

A university spokesman said the Reg Vardy Gallery, containing an exhibition by Mexican artist Minerva Cuevas, appeared to have escaped damage. Slides and processing equipment are being checked.

He said: "Fortunately the fire was confined to one room and the gallery containing the Minerva Cuevas exhibition is in a different part of the building.

"It appears intruders who broke into the basement might have started the fire,"

Northumbria Police are treating the fire as suspicious.