HORRIFIED neighbours rushed from their homes last night to rescue a shop worker who had been turned into a fireball.

The 58-year-old man was engulfed in flames as he fled a burning workshop at a County Durham furniture store.

He was in Darlington Memorial Hospital last night in a critical condition suffering from 80 to 90 per cent burns. His family were at his bedside.

The cause of the blaze, at Priory Pine, in West Auckland, near Bishop Auckland, was unknown, but police and firefighters are expected to launch an investigation today.

Firefighters, police and paramedics were at the scene soon after the fire broke out, at about 4.30pm.

Gareth Moss, 36, who lives opposite the store in Station Road, said the burning man was seen running from an outhouse at the side of the building.

"By the time I got there he was lying on the floor, and a couple were giving him first aid," said Mr Moss.

"They had run over there to put him out.

"They risked their own lives and they are to be commended for that.

"I was worried that the boss was still inside the shop, so myself and another man went inside to see if we could find him.

"We used the extinguishers in there, but we could not find anyone."

Eight firefighters searched the building but also found no one.

Witnesses said there were two customers in the shop, along with a female worker, when the fire broke out. All escaped unhurt.

Mr Moss said he knew the injured man - who has not been named - by calling regularly at the shop.

He said: "He was lying on the floor and I did not recognise him. He has been badly burned.

"I have got to know him quite well since the shop opened about five years ago.

"He is a nice person, a good friend to the community. I just hope that he is going to be okay. We all wish him well."

It took five fire appliances more than an hour to put out the blaze and fire crews were still damping down the building last night.

The furniture workshop at the side of the building, formerly a church, was severely damaged. The rest of the building was badly smoke-logged.

Inspector Simon Orton, of Bishop Auckland police, said the injured man was in a critical condition.

He said: "His family have been told and are at his bedside.

"The cause of the fire is for the moment unknown, and further inquiries will be made by fire and police investigators tomorrow."

A fire brigade spokesperson said it was not yet clear how the fire started but an investigation was under way.