FIREFIGHTERS who brou-ght a blaze at a North-East pub under control have been praised.

County Durham Fire station officer Neil Smith said the 50 firefighters called out to the Old Farmhouse Inn, Darlington, on Tuesday night put their safety at risk trying to extinguish the flames.

He said they entered the burning pub and restaurant in order to control the blaze, despite the fact the roof could have fallen in at any time.

He said: "The fire crews did an excellent job to stop the fire from spreading to the other part (of the pub).

"They put themselves in a position where they could have been in danger.

"The roof could have collapsed. They were inside, but they were pulled out."

Yesterday, a spokesman for Mitchell and Butler brewery said an investigation into the fire and an assessment of the damage were under way.

It is not known whether the pub can be rebuilt.

Damage estimated to run into hundreds of thousands of pounds was caused to the 200-year-old property, on the A67 Darlington to Yarm road. It is thought a grill caught fire in the kitchen.

Mr Smith said a staff member tried to put the flames out using extinguishers and a fire blanket.

The six pub staff safely evacuated the 35 to 40 customers and waited for the brigade to arrive. No one was injured.

When firefighters arrived soon after 8.30pm, the flames had spread through half the building, gutting the bar, part of the restaurant and a rear extension.

The oldest part of the property suffered only smoke damage. It took eight appliances from the region several hours to bring the blaze under control.

Manager Stephen I'Anson, who has worked at the premises for several years, said he was distraught.

He was not working when the fire started on Tuesday night. He said: "It was part of my life for 20 years. I feel really upset about it."

Fire officers are investigating the cause of the blaze, but it is not believed to be suspicious.