POLICE and fire officers are investigating a town centre fire which broke out yesterday afternoon.

The blaze started in a first floor storeroom above a novelty shop in Middlesbrough's Captain Cook Square shopping development, with the smoke spreading to three other shops, a pub and the town's bus station.

The stores and the square were evacuated while 30 firefighters tackled the fire.

The flames destroyed half the store room above the shop called @en.r.g. - where the fire began. "Horrendous" smoke damage was reported to store room stocks above JJB Sports next door.

Station Officer Ron Carr said: "The heat build up on the first floor level was horrendous. Light fittings have all melted and dropped.

"The temperature has been intense. The smoke was so thick you could not see a hand in front of your face.'