A TOWN centre pub had to be evacuated yesterday lunch time after a fire broke out in the ladies toilets.

Firefighters were called to Humphry's, in Grange Road, Darlington, at about 12.30pm, after staff spotted smoke on the ground floor.

About ten customers and three workers were evacuated from the building and police cordoned off the site while firefighters extinguished the blaze.

Darlington Fire Station Officer Ken Ball said: "When we got there, there was a considerable amount of smoke on the first floor.

"It seems to have started between the first floor and the ground floor. The cause is under investigation but it looks likely to be an electrical fault, probably in an extractor fan in the ladies toilet."

He added that the majority of damage was to the flat above the pub. It was a good job the premises did have a smoke alarm as it could have been much more serious and spread to the whole pub," he said.

"We have only had to move things on the first floor, so the pub can stay open."